Importance of Colposcopy Impression in the Early Diagnosis of Posthysterectomy Vaginal Cancer

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the value of cytology, high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) status and colposcopy in the early diagnosis of vaginal cancer after hysterectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. Posthysterectomy patients who were diagnosed with vaginal high-grade intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) by colposcopy-directed biopsy with colposcopy impression of extensive HSIL or suspicion of cancer and underwent upper or total vaginectomy from January 2009 to December 2017 were included. RESULTS: Eighty-six posthysterectomy vaginal HSIL patients were included. Available abnormal cytology and positive hrHPV were observed in 90.7% (49/54) and 96.2% (51/53) of the patients, respectively. A total of 18.6% (16/86) of the patients were diagnosed with squamous cell cancer by vaginectomy, and the average interval between hysterectomy and vaginectomy was 3.5 years. Among them, 62.5% (10/16) cancers occurred after hysterectomy for cervical cancer, 31.2% (5/16) after hysterectomy for cervical precancer, and 6.3% (1/16) after hysterectomy for myoma. An indication for hysterectomy (cervical cancer vs HSIL, odds ratio = 7.2, 95% CI = 1.9–28.0, p = .004) and colposcopy impression of vaginal cancer (vaginal cancer vs HSIL, odds ratio = 5.9, 95% CI = 1.3–26.8, p = .021) were high-risk factors of cancer confirmed by vaginectomy in colposcopy-directed biopsy vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia 2/3 posthysterectomy in multiple logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Colposcopy is pivotal in the evaluation of abnormal cytology/hrHPV tests in follow-up of cervical cancer patients after hysterectomy and decision-making for vaginectomy in detecting early cancer.