Management of low-grade CIN: follow-up or treatment?
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether low-grade cervical dysplasia carries a higher risk of progression when associated with the cancer-related human papillomavirus types 16, 18, 31 or 33.


METHODS
Retrospective, with PCR-based HPV diagnosis on the original cervical biopsies from 71 patients with CIN I and II. CIN III developed in 34 lesions, and 37 showed complete regression during non-invasive follow-up.


RESULTS
Progression occurred in 15/41 CIN I and in 19/30 CIN II lesions (P = 0.03). HPV DNA was detected in 43 specimens. CIN III developed in 25% of HPV-negative lesions, in 48% of HPV-positive CIN I lesions, and in 77% of HPV-positive CIN II lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
Low-grade lesions are at higher risk of progression when associated with HPV types 16, 18, 31 or 33 (P = 0.002). HPV diagnosis can be useful in the triage of patients with low-grade CIN.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral