title: Evaluation of the combination of cytology and hybrid capture to safely predict the high-grade lesion status of patients treated with conization with large loop excision of the transformation zone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to verify whether human papillomavirus (HPV) testing after conization treatment has some potential usefulness for predicting patients' outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty women were treated for HSIL by conization with large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ). Cytology, colposcopy-guided biopsy, and hybrid capture 2 (HC2) HPV DNA tests were performed before the surgical procedure and every 6 months for 2 years at follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 90% of the patients tested positive for high-risk HPV prior to the surgical intervention. Six months after the cervical conization, 74.75% of the patients tested negative for high-risk HPV DNA, and 19.41% were positive. Of the women who were HC2 negative, 72 showed normal cytological smears, 3 ASC-US, 2 LSIL, and 1 HSIL. Of those who were HC2 positive, 8 showed normal smears, 2 ASC-US, 2 ASC-H, 5 LSIL, and 1 case had HSIL, AGC, and squamous cells invasive carcinoma. Clinically, the HSIL case with a negative HPV test did not show any sign of high-grade lesions, and the clinical follow-up did not show residual lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Negative HPV tests correlated with freedom from high-grade disease after 2 years of postconization follow-up, which strongly suggests that negative HPV tests predict the absence of cervical disease.
authors: Department of Gynecology, São Paulo University, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Maria Teresa
authors: MT
authors: Roncaglia
authors: Maricy
authors: M
authors: Tacla
authors: Eduardo
authors: E
authors: Vieira da Motta
authors: Hélio
authors: H
authors: Caiaffa
authors: Alexandre
authors: A
authors: Ab'Saber
authors: Venâncio Avancini Ferreira
authors: VA
authors: Alves
authors: Adhemar
authors: A
authors: Longatto Filho
authors: Edmund C
authors: EC
authors: Baracat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003127:Colposcopy; D019092:Conization; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D003584:Cytological Techniques; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D011379:Prognosis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D055815:Young Adult; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology