Evidence for frequent regression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia-grade 2

Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Jan;113(1):18-25. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e31818f5008.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the fraction of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 (CIN 2) that might regress if untreated using data from the Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance/Low-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions Triage Study (ALTS).

Methods: We compared the cumulative occurrence of CIN 2 (n=397) and CIN 3 or more severe (n=542) diagnosed by the Pathology Quality Control Group in three trial arms-immediate colposcopy, human papillomavirus (HPV) triage, and conservative management-over the 2-year duration of the ALTS trial. A nonparametric test of trend was used to test for differences in the number of CIN 2 cases relative to number of CIN 3 or more severe cases across study arms with an increasing percentage of women referred to colposcopy at baseline.

Results: There were no significant differences in the cumulative 2-year cumulative CIN 3 or more severe diagnoses by study arm (10.9%, conservative management; 10.3%, HPV; 10.9%, immediate colposcopy) (Ptrend=.8), but there was a significant increase in CIN 2 diagnoses (5.8%, conservative management; 7.8%, HPV triage; 9.9%, immediate colposcopy) (Ptrend<.001) in the study arms, with increasing number of women referred to colposcopy at baseline. The relative differences in cumulative CIN 2 by study arm among women who tested HPV-16 positive at baseline were less pronounced (Ptrend=.1) than women who tested positive for other high-risk-HPV genotypes (Ptrend=.01).

Conclusion: There was evidence that approximately 40% of undiagnosed CIN 2 will regress over 2 years, but CIN 2 caused by HPV-16 may be less likely to regress than CIN 2 caused by other high-risk-HPV genotypes.

Level of evidence: II.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Colposcopy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous*
  • Papillomaviridae / isolation & purification
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / diagnosis
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / pathology*
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / therapy
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / virology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / therapy
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / virology