title: Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women with lichen sclerosus vulvae and vulvar cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic infections in the urogenital area often precede or coexist with vulvar cancer. A strong connection between some tumours and the-appearance of Chlamydia trachomatis infection has been observed, but there is little information concerning a connection of that infection with vulvar cancer and lichen sclerosus vulvae (LS). The aim of this study was the analysis of frequency of antigens appearance and antibodies of IgM and IgG Chlamydia trachomatis in patients with vulvar cancer and LS and we wanted to find the correlation between Chlamydia trachomatis infection and vulvar cancer and LS.
  
  
  METHODS
  80 women treated in the Clinic of Vulva Diseases at the Department and Clinical Ward of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Oncological Gynaecology in Bytom, in the Silesian Medical University in Katowice were divided into two groups - 30 were treated for vulvar cancer and 50 were treated because of LS. We took bacterial smears vagina and cervical smears for presence of Chlamydia trachomatis antigens and peripheral blood to mark antibodies of IgM and IgG Chlamydia trachomastis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chlamydia trachomatis antigen was found in 20% women with vulvar cancer and in 12% women with LS (p>0.05). In 13,3% cases with vulvar cancer we observed IgM Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies. In the group with LS IgM antibodies appeared in 16% women (p>0.05). In 50% patients with vulvar cancer in blood serum we observed IgG Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies, and in 16% women with LS (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Previous Chlamydia trachomatis infection can lead to vulvar carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Oncological Gynecology, Bytom, Medical University of Silesia, Poland. bytomobstgyn@sum.edu.pl
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olejek
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kozak-Darmas
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kellas-Sleczka
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jarek
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wiczkowski
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Krol
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stencel-Gabriel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D007724:Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology