Value of endocervical margin and high-risk human papillomavirus status after conization for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia,adenocarcinoma in situ,and microinvasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to analyze clinico-pathologic factors and the optimal cut-off value of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) viral load for predicting high-grade residual/recurrent disease after the conization in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2–3), adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), and microinvasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix (MICA).MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed data from 701 patients with CIN 2–3, AIS, and MICA who underwent conization between September 2003 and June 2012. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was used to find out the cut-off value of HR-HPV viral load for predicting residual/recurrent disease. Clinico-pathologic variables, including resection margin and HR-HPV status, were evaluated as possible predictors of residual/recurrent disease.ResultsAt a cut-off value of 1.16 RLU/CO for post-cone HR-HPV viral load, the sensitivity was 88.2% and the specificity was 98.3%. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that post-cone cytology (p = 0.001, OR = 83.808, 95% CI = 6.688–1050.232), endocervical margin status (p < 0.001, OR = 80.478, 95% CI = 7.421–872.732), and post-cone HR-HPV status (p < 0.001, OR = 79.660, 95% CI = 8.539–743.129) were significantly associated with residual/recurrent disease. The post-cone HR-HPV positivity was observed more in the patients who showed positive endocervical margin than in the patients with positive ectocervical margin (32.6% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.002).ConclusionsFollow-up using liquid based cytology in combination with HR-HPV test at 12 months after the conization, and not the early HR-HPV test, might be acceptable. Post-cone endocervical margin status combined with post-cone HR-HPV test is critical for predicting residual/recurrent disease and clinical management.