Objectives: To report management and outcome of multicentric lesions of the lower genital tract. To define risk factors of recurrence.
Study design: Retrospective review of multicentric dysplasias treated in our colposcopic clinic between 1996 and 2003. Multicentric dysplasias included CIN with VAIN and/or VIN. After primary treatment, follow-up was colposcopic, cytologic and virologic.
Results: Forty-four patients presented multicentric lesions out of 998 patients referred for CIN (4.4%). The average age was 36.8 years. Immunologic disorders were present in 20.4%. Ninety-one percent had cervicovaginal or cervicovulvar lesions, only 9% had three sites of genital dysplasia. 53.3% of lesions were concomitant. 79.5% of CIN were high grade, 62.5% of VAIN low grade and 62.5% of VIN high grade. Therapeutic modalities were as follows: conization for CIN (70.4%), CO2 laser for VAIN (33.3%) and surgery for VIN (41.7%). Forty patients were followed and had at least one post-treatment cytologic control; 55% of them had residual disease. Out of the 23 patients with at least two negative controls after treatment, 43.5% presented recurrence. Risk of recurrence was not statistically bound to such parameters as tabagism, immunologic disorder, high grade lesions, non-surgical treatment, and persistence of HPV infection after treatment.
Conclusion: Multicentric dysplasias are associated with high rate of residual lesion and recurrence. Management of these lesions require long term follow-up.