Laser-skinning colpectomy for extended vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia and microinvasive cancer

•Laser-skinning colpectomy achieved high cure rates in patients with high-grade VAIN.•Vaginal morphology was well preserved.•The procedure allowed detection and staging of early invasion.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to analyze the efficacy of colposcopic-guided laser-skinning colpectomy to treat extended high-grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN).MethodsRetrospective review of 33 heavily pretreated patients with high-grade VaIN extending over 20-100% of the vaginal surface treated between 2003 and 2013 with colposcopic-guided laser-skinning colpectomy. The vaginal epithelium including all VaIN lesions was excised in one piece with a depth of 2-3 mm.ResultsVaginal cancer was diagnosed in 10 patients (nine microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma and one vaginal carcinoma). No serious adverse events related to laser-skinning colpectomy were observed. Of 33 patients, 23 were followed up with cytology and colposcopy for at least 12 months at our institution (median follow 26.5 months; range 12-104 months), while five had a shorter follow-up, four an external follow-up and one patient was lost. Of 23 patients with follow-up ≥ 12 months, 20 were disease free after a single laser-skinning colpectomy (overall cure rate 87.0%). Moderate shortening of the vagina was observed in two patients and another two required reconstruction of vaginal strictures during long-term follow-up.ConclusionLaser-skinning colpectomy appears to be a feasible treatment for extended high-risk VaIN3. The procedure avoids the mutilation associated with colpectomy and allows early diagnosis and staging of invasive disease.