An investigation into human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for patients undergoing surgery for high-grade cervical or vulvar dysplasia

Introduction: Eligibility for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine now includes adults 27 through 45 years. It has not been reported how providers are addressing HPV vaccination in patients with existing preinvasive disease. Our objectives were to determine the rates at which vaccination is offered to and received by patients undergoing surgery for high-grade cervical or vulvar dysplasia. Materials and Methods: This was a single-institution retrospective cohort study including patients ages 18 through 45 years undergoing surgery for high-grade cervical or vulvar dysplasia from 10/2018 to 2/2020. Our primary outcome was the rate at which HPV vaccination was discussed at the pre-and/or post-operative visits. The secondary outcome was the rate of vaccine uptake in these individuals. Characteristics of those offered HPV vaccination were compared to those not offered vaccination. Results: Of the 115 patients included, 36 (31.3%) had HPV vaccination addressed in the perioperative setting. Thirty-two of these patients had never been vaccinated, and 21 of these (65.6%) went on to receive partial or complete HPV vaccination. Those in whom HPV vaccination was addressed were more likely to be under 27 years (RR 3.2; 95% CI 2.1-4.8) and less likely to be smokers (RR 0.5; 95% CI 0.2-0.9) or have prior excisional procedures (RR 0.3; 95% CI 0.1-0.9). The absolute rate of discussing HPV vaccination with patients improved from 26.0% within six months of vaccine age eligibility expansion, to 35.4% after six months (P = 0.32). Conclusions: Providers did not consistently address HPV vaccination among patients being treated for high-grade cervical or vulvar dysplasia despite the potential benefits. However, a high proportion of these patients are amenable to vaccination. Quality improvement initiatives are warranted to increase the rate of HPV vaccine counseling in this context.