High-grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia and risk of progression to vaginal cancer: a multicentre study of the Italian Society of Colposcopy and Cervico-Vaginal Pathology (SICPCV)

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyse the women with high grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (HG-VaIN), in order to identify a subset of women at higher risk of progression to invasive vaginal cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of all the women diagnosed with HG-VaIN, and subsequently treated, from January 1995 to December 2013 were analyzed in a multicentre retrospective case series. The rate of progression to invasive vaginal cancer and the potential risk factors were evaluated.

RESULTS: 205 women with biopsy diagnosis of HG-VaIN were considered, with a mean follow up of 57 months (range 4-254 months). 12 cases of progression to vaginal squamocellular cancer were observed (5.8%), with a mean time interval from treatment to progression of 54.6 months (range 4-146 months). The rate of progression was significantly higher in women diagnosed with VaIN3 compared with VaIN2 (15.4% vs. 1.4%, p < 0.0001). Women with HG-VaIN and with previous hysterectomy showed a significantly higher rate of progression to invasive vaginal cancer compared to non-hysterectomised women (16.7% vs. 1.4%, p < 0.0001). A higher risk of progression for women with VaIN3 and for women with previous hysterectomy for cervical HPV-related disease was confirmed by multivariable logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONS: A higher rate of progression to vaginal cancer was reported in women diagnosed with VaIN3 on biopsy and in women with previous hysterectomy for HPV-related cervical disease. These patients should be considered at higher risk, thus a long lasting and accurate follow up is recommended.