Follow-up strategies after treatment (large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ)) for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN): Impact of human papillomavirus (HPV) test.

BACKGROUND

Development of cancer of the cervix is a multi-step process as before cervical cancer develops, cervical cells undergo changes and become abnormal. These abnormalities are called cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and are associated with increased risk of subsequent invasive cancer of the cervix. Oncogenic high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV), the causative agent of cervical cancer and its precursor lesions, is present in up to one-third of women following large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) treatment and is associated with increased risk of residual disease and disease recurrence. HPV testing may serve as a surveillance tool for identifying women at higher risk of recurrence. High-risk human papillomavirus testing will enable us to identify women at increased risk of residual or recurrent CIN and therefore will allow us to offer closer surveillance and early treatment, when indicated.

OBJECTIVES

• To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of hrHPV testing after large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) treatment• To determine optimal follow-up management strategies following LLETZ treatment according to hrHPV status

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Gynacological Cancer Review Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed and PsycINFO up to August 2013. We searched registers of clinical trials, abstracts of scientific meetings and reference lists of included studies, and we contacted experts in the field.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We searched for randomised control trials (RCTs) that compared follow-up management strategies following LLETZ treatment for CIN.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed whether potentially relevant studies met the inclusion criteria. No trials were found; therefore no data were analysed.

MAIN RESULTS

The search identified 813 references on MEDLINE, 418 on EMBASE, 22 on CINAHL, 666 on PubMed, 291 on PsycINFO and 145 on CENTRAL. When all references were imported into EndNote and duplications were removed, 1348 references remained. Initial screening of titles and abstracts of these references revealed that 42 references were potentially eligible for this review. After reading the full-text versions, we identified no relevant trials comparing hrHPV and cytology testing versus cytology testing alone for detecting residual or recurrent disease during follow-up to LLETZ treatment of adult women with CIN.We found no evidence on the effects of hrHPV and cytology testing on residual or recurrent CIN2 or higher lesions, anxiety and psychosexual morbidity outcomes in women undergoing colposcopy and treatment for CIN.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence from RCTs to inform decisions about the best surveillance strategy for women following treatment for CIN. A prognostic systematic review is needed to investigate the risk of developing recurrent cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ (CIN2+) in women with a positive hrHPV test after large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) treatment.