Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia: treatment by carbon dioxide laser and risk factors for failure.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of CO(2) laser ablation of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN) and to define prognostic factors.


METHODS
Medical records of 24 patients with VAIN II or III, treated by CO(2) laser ablation from 1990 to 1998 were reviewed. The grade, location, and focality of the lesions, the age, follow-up period and menopausal status of the patients, the power and duration of laser ablation, the presence of concurrent cervical or vulvar neoplasia or previous hysterectomy were evaluated as possible prognostic factors.


RESULTS
Ablations of the VAIN were successfully accomplished in all of the patients with a mean period of 25.2+10.2 min, including additional simultaneous ablations of the cervix or vulva in eight (33.3%) patients. There was no early or late major complication. VAIN was completely eliminated in 17 (70.8%) patients after the first and in 19 (79.2%) patients after multiple episodes of ablation with a mean follow-up of 26.7+19.6 months. VAIN progressed to invasive vaginal carcinoma in one woman. None of the evaluated prognostic factors was found to be related to the persistence or recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
CO(2) laser ablation was a safe and effective method for the treatment of VAIN. However, since no prognostic factor was defined, all patients should be closely evaluated for persistence, recurrence or progression to invasion.
Yalcin
Omer T
OT
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Gynecologic Oncology, New Haven, CT, USA. omertyalcin@isnet.net.tr
Rutherford
Thomas J
TJ
Chambers
Setsuko K
SK
Chambers
Joseph T
JT
Schwartz
Peter E
PE
D000328:Adult; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D018579:Patient Selection; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*
D002245:Carbon Dioxide