The Role of Cervical or Vaginal HPV Testing in Surveillance of Vulvar, Vaginal, and Anal HPV-Associated Neoplasia.

Abstract

Objectives: The study aims are to evaluate the utility of cervical or vaginal human papillomavirus (HPV) status in predicting recurrence of noncervix lower genital tract (LGT) high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), assess factors associated with HPV positivity, and explore patterns of HSIL surveillance.

Methods: This retrospective cohort included patients undergoing ≥12 months of surveillance after biopsy-proven vulvar, vaginal, or anal HSIL between 2015 and 2023 at an Australian hospital with a laboratory that performs universal p16 and p53 immunohistochemistry for vulvar squamous neoplasia. Data collected included demographics, HPV results, medical comorbidities, vulvar dermatoses, treatment, frequency of surveillance, outcomes, and follow-up duration. Data were stratified by HPV status at the time of LGT HSIL diagnosis.

Results: Of 143 patients with a median age of 54 years, 23% used topical steroids for lichen sclerosus or planus, 93% had a recent or concurrent HPV test, and 53% of these were positive. Positive HPV was more frequent in vaginal versus vulvar HSIL (92% vs 46%; p = .003) and less frequent in patients with diabetes (23% vs 3%; p < .001). Recurrent or persistent HSIL occurred in 65%. HPV positivity was not associated with overall recurrence, but afforded a 6-fold higher vaginal HSIL recurrence risk. There was a documented surveillance strategy in 92% with 78% of these having 6-monthly assessments for 5 disease-free years, then annually.

Conclusions: Cervical or vaginal oncogenic HPV results do not predict vulvar HSIL recurrence but may inform surveillance for vaginal disease. Limitations include the retrospective design, potential referral bias, and limited generalizability.