Efficacy and safety of cryotherapy, cold cone or thermocoagulation compared to LEEP as a therapy for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: Systematic review.

Objectives: To determine the efficacy and safety of the use of cryotherapy, cold knife or thermocoagulation compared to Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Methods: Systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia undergoing treatment with cryotherapy, cold knife, or thermo-coagulation compared with LEEP, to estimate its efficacy and safety. The search was conducted on MEDLINE/PUBMED, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Scopus, until September 2018.

Results: The total of 72 studies were identified, of which only 8 studies met the inclusion criteria. The treatment of CIN with cold knife decreases the risk of residual disease compared with LEEP (RR, 0.54, 95%CI, 0.30-0.96, p = 0.04). The management of premalignant lesions with cryotherapy, compared with LEEP, increases the risk of disease recurrence by 86% (RR, 1.86, 95%CI, 1.16-2.97, p = 0.01), increases the risk of infections (RR, 1.17, 95%CI, 1.08-1.28, p < 0.001) and reduces the risk of minor bleeding by 51% (RR, 0.49, 95%CI) %, 0.40-0.59, p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusions: The treatment of premalignant lesions of cervical cancer with cold knife reduces the risk of residual disease. Nevertheless, cryotherapy reduces the risk of minor bleeding in the 24 hours after treatment and increases the risk of recurrence of disease and infections.