Role of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing in the follow-up of patients after treatment for cervical precancerous lesions

Objective: To evaluate the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing in post-treatment follow-up of patients after therapeutic excision of the cervix due to positive screening tests. Study design: A hospital-based retrospective analysis was performed with prospective collection of patient data of women screened for cervical cancer at a Gynecologic Outpatient Clinic. Patients after therapeutic excision due to positive screening results were identified and followed up with HPV testing and serial cytology. Results: After 61 treatment for cervicalis intraepithelialis neoplasia (CIN), high-risk HPV infection was detected during the post-treatment follow-up at 18 cases (29.5%), 10 of them had persisting cytological atypia (positive predictive value (PPV): 56%), 5 developed CIN (PPV: 28%). When the HPV test was negative (43 patients) in the post-treatment period, neither CIN nor persisting cytological atypia developed (negative predictive value (NPV): 100%) during 1201 patient months (median 26 months). Conclusions: A negative HPV test eliminates the risk of recurrent disease after treatment for CIN.