The role of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing in the follow-up of patients after treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine the role of human papillomavirus testing in the follow-up after treatment for CIN, as a prognostic sign for residual/recurrent cervical precancerous lesions.Methods: A hospital-based analysis was performed on 460 patients previously treated for CIN with cold knife conization, at the University Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics and General Hospital Remedika, in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, in a period of 3 years. The patients were followed-up with HPV testing in addition to cytology, colposcopy and/or biopsy. The first after treatment HPV testing was performed8 months after cold knife conization, proceeded by follow-up within 24 months after treatment, at 4 months intervals.Results: Among 460 treated patients, at the fi rst HPV and cytologic testing, 8 months after treat-ment, 69 (15%) were HPV+, and 391 (85%) HPV negative. From the 69 HPV+ patients, 41 (59.4%) were withcytologic abnormalities and 28 (40.6%) without abnormalities. 12 months after treatment, the number of HPV+ patients developing cytologic abnormalities raised to 45/70 (64.29%). Within the 24 months aftertreatment, the number of patients who had recurrent/ residual CIN from the HPV+ patients reached 50/71 (70.42%); which was 10.87% from all 460 treated patients.Conclusion: Persistence or clearance of HPV especially 8 months after treatment even in patients with normal cytology, is an early valid prognostic marker of treatment failure, and is more accurate than cytologyat the same follow-up intervals.