The role of HPV DNA testing in the follow-up of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia after loop electrosurgical excision procedure.
OBJECTIVE
To assess human papilloma viruses (HPV) DNA test for detection of recurrences in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) patients after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). Also effect of LEEP on the clearance of HPV infection was evaluated for CIN 1 lesions.


METHODS
HPV DNA positive 37 patients (25 CIN 2-3 and 12 CIN 1 cases proven by colposcopic biopsies) were treated with LEEP and followed prospectively with HPV DNA and cytology at third and sixth months.


RESULTS
There were 11 patients with abnormal cytologic results in third month and 4 in sixth month. HPV DNA positivity rate declined in CIN 1 group between third and sixth month but this did not reach to statistical significance (44 vs. 36%, P = 0.41). There were 3 treatment failures out of 37 patients (8.1%). All these three patients had CIN 3 at the beginning and two of them had positive HPV DNA in two controls. There were no recurrence/treatment failure for CIN 1 patients. Regarding 37 patients, decrease in cytologic abnormality incidence between third and sixth-month control was statistically significant (29.7 vs. 10.9%, P = 0.03). All four patients with cytologic abnormality at the sixth month had HPV persistence. Cytologic abnormality was more prevelant in HPV persistent women (P = 0.01) and also there was no cytologic abnormality in case of HPV DNA negativity.


CONCLUSIONS
LEEP does not seem to decrease HPV DNA incidence for CIN 1 at least for 6 months. But HPV DNA used in addition to cytology might help to detect recurrences.
Dogan
Nasuh Utku
NU
Zekai Tahir Burak Maternity Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. nasuhutkudogan@yahoo.com
Salman
Mehmet Coskun
MC
Yuce
Kunter
K
D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D004598:Electrosurgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral