[Early human papillomavirus testing predicts residual/recurrent disease after LEEP risk factors for predicting residual disease in high-grade squamous cervical intraepithelial neoplasia following LEEP conization].

Objective: To explore the risk factors for residual/recurrent disease of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 or worse after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) and the timing point for postoperative follow-up.

Methods: 428 patients with CIN 2 or CIN 3 who were treated with LEEP were retrospectively reviewed. Postoperative follow-up was performed by Pap smear and human papillomavirus (HPV) hybrid capture 2 (HC2) testing. The definition of persistent/recurrent disease was biopsy-proven CIN 2 or worse.

Results: 296 patients were CIN 2 and 132 were CIN 3 among 428 patients. The positive rate of HPV HC2 before LEEP was 86.7% (371/428). During follow-up, 26 patients (6.1%) had residual/recurrent disease, the positive LEEP margin, especially the cone top status, was a significant risk factor for persistent/recurrent disease. Other factors such as age, HPV viral load [> or =100 relative light units (RLU)], and HPV typing (type 16/18 vs. other types) did not predict recurrence. HPV HC2 test at 3 months after LEEP can find all the residual/recurrent disease, the sensitivity and negative predictive value of the HPV HC2 test for residual/recurrent disease were both 100% at 3 and 6 months.

Conclusion: The positive margin of LEEP specimen especially the cone top status was a significant risk factor for residual/recurrent disease after LEEP. HPV test at 3 months during follow-up can offer timely information about residual/recurrent disease and help for the risk control in treatment selection.