Discussion on the diagnosis and treatment of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in post-menopausal women

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the performance of colposcopy and investigate the diagnosis and treatment characteristics of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) diagnosed by cervical tissue sampling in post-menopausal women. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 1 449 patients with HSIL diagnosed by cervical tissue sampling under colposcopy and treated by loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) or extrafascial hysterectomy as the primary therapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, from November 2015 to October 2017. In order to investigate the diagnosis and treatment of HSIL in post-menopausal women, a case-control study was conducted to compare the difference in performance of colposcopy and treatment modality between 213 post-menopausal patients (14.7%, 213/1 449) and 1 236 pre-menopausal patients (85.3%, 1 236/1 449). Results: (1)The proportion of cases pathologically upgraded to cervical cancer was significantly greater in post-menopausal patients (9.4%, 20/213) compared with pre-menopausal patients (3.8%, 47/1 236; P<0.05). (2) The proportion of ≥HSIL diagnosed by colposcopy showed no significant difference between post-menopausal patients (76.1%, 162/213) and pre-menopausal patients (78.2%, 967/1 236; P=0.479). The proportion of type Ⅲ transformation zone (TZ) was significantly greater in post-menopausal patients (91.1%, 194/213) compared with pre-menopausal patients (59.1%, 731/1 236; P<0.05). The rate of missed diagnosis of cervical cancer was significantly higher in type Ⅲ TZ (6.4%, 59/925) compared with type Ⅰ and(or) Ⅱ TZ (1.5%, 8/524; P<0.05). The proportion of HSIL detected by endocervical curettage alone was greater in post-menopausal patients (9.9%, 21/213) compared with pre-menopausal patients (2.6%, 32/1 236; P<0.05). (3)Initial treatment with LEEP: the positive rate of endocervical margin was significantly greater in post-menopausal patients (20.5%, 36/176) compared with pre-menopausal patients (10.5%, 130/1 236;P<0.05); in patients who were diagnosed as HSIL after LEEP, the positive rate of endocervical margin and the residual rate were both greater in post-menopausal patients compared with pre-menopausal patients [15.4% (25/162) versus 8.8% (105/1 189), P=0.008; 52.0% (13/25) versus 26.7% (28/105), P=0.014]. (4)Thirty-seven post-menopausal patients were treated by extrafascial hysterectomy as the primary therapy, 5 cases (13.5%, 5/37) were diagnosed as cervical cancer (stage Ⅰa1) after the surgery. Conclusions: (1) The lesions of HSIL in post-menopausal patients still have definite features under colposcopy as same as pre-menopausal patients. Endocervical curettage could help detect more HSIL in post-menopausal patients. Compared with pre-menopausal patients, post-menopausal HSIL patients have an increased risk of cervical cancer and are more likely missed by cervical tissue sampling. (2) LEEP has the dual effects of diagnosis and treatment, and is still the recommended treatment for post-menopausal HSIL patients. However, the increase in positive rate of endocervical margin and residual rate requires further active intervention. (3) Considering those post-menopausal HSIL patients who cannot accept conization as the initial treatment, the selection of hysterectomy type requires more thorough study.