Immunostimulation to reduce recurrence after surgery for anal condyloma acuminata: a prospective randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
Human papillomavirus is the most common cause of sexually transmitted disease. It is associated with immunosuppression and shows a marked tendency to recur. We investigated a natural immunostimulant aimed to reduce recurrence.


METHODS
A randomized controlled study was carried out including 261 patients allocated to surgical excision alone (control group; n = 122) and surgical excision plus postoperative immunostimulation for 30 days with a natural product (STET; study group; n = 139). Patients with HIV positivity were excluded. All patients gave fully informed consent.


RESULTS
The patients were followed for 6 months after surgery. Recurrence occurred in 7.2% (10/139) in the study group and in 27.1% (33/122) in the control group (P < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in the sex, sexual orientation, number of lesions, time to diagnosis and treatment or localization of lesions in the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Immunostimulation using a natural product significantly reduced the incidence of recurrence of anal condylomata in patients undergoing surgical excision.
Mistrangelo
M
M
Oncological Surgical Department, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy. mistrangelo@katamail.com
Cornaglia
S
S
Pizzio
M
M
Rimonda
R
R
Gavello
G
G
Dal Conte
I
I
Mussa
A
A
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D035685:Andrographis; D001004:Anus Diseases / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D029441:Carica; D002648:Child; D032083:Citrus paradisi; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy*; D020900:Echinacea; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D029663:Tabebuia; D032070:Uncaria; D055815:Young Adult
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D028321:Plant Preparations