Follow-up outcomes for a large cohort of US women with negative imaged liquid-based cytology findings and positive high risk human papillomavirus test results

Objective. This study aimed to follow a large group of US women with negative computer-imaged liquid-based cytology (LBC) and positive high risk (hr) HPV DNA results. Methods. Negative LBC and positive hrHPV cases were identified between July 1, 2005 and December 31, 2009. Cytologic and histopathologic follow-up results, repeat HPV results, and prior history were analyzed. Results. 1099 Patients with negative LBC and positive hrHPV results were identified. Eight hundred sixty-nine had repeat Pap or histopathologic follow-up results. Average age was 41.2 years. Average follow-up was 23.2 months. Two hundred ninety of 869 had colposcopic examination and biopsies, including 33 diagnostic excisional procedures and 10 hysterectomies. Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1 and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (CIN1/LSIL) and more severe lesions (CIN1/LSIL+) were detected in 211 of 689 (24.3%). CIN2+ was diagnosed in 21(2.4%) (1 VAIN3, 2 adenocarcinoma in situ, 1 invasive cervical adenocarcinoma). Six hundred six had repeat HPV tests and 200 had multiple repeat HPV tests. More LSIL/CIN1+ was identified with repeat positive HPV results than with repeat negative HPV results (P<0.001). LSIL/CIN1+ was detected more often with a history of LSIL/CIN1+ than with a history of negative Paps (P<0.001). Eight of 105 (7.6%) cytology-negative HPV-positive patients tested positive for HPV 16 and/or HPV 18. Conclusion. This is the largest study documenting follow-up on US cytology-negative hrHPV-positive patients screened with now widely utilized FDA-cleared methods of ciLBC and hrHPV testing. Of 869 patients followed for an average of almost 2 years, 20 cases of high grade intraepithelial neoplasia (2.3%) and one case of endocervical adenocarcinoma were detected. 90.5%(190/210) of intraepithelial neoplasias detected during follow-up were CIN1. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.