Combined therapy for LSIL with HR-HPV: CO2 laser and interferon α2a.

OBJECTIVES

Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection are precursors to cervical cancer. Although interferon α2a is widely used for treating HR-HPV infections, the efficacy of its combination with carbon dioxide (CO2) laser therapy remains unclear.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 230 patients diagnosed with LSIL and HR-HPV infection from October 2021 to August 2023. According to different treatment methods, patients were assigned to either the Monotherapy Group (n = 108, receiving interferon α2a alone) or the Combined Group (n = 122, receiving CO2 laser therapy followed by interferon α2a). Clinical efficacy, HPV clearance rate, viral load, recurrence rate, and adverse events were evaluated after 6 months of treatment and a 12-month follow-up.

RESULTS

The Combined Group demonstrated significantly higher clinical efficacy compared to the Monotherapy Group (116 (95.08 %) vs. 94 (87.04 %), P < 0.05). HPV clearance rates were higher, and viral loads were lower in the Combined Group at 3 and 6 months (P < 0.05). Additionally, the recurrence rate was significantly lower in the Combined Group compared to the Monotherapy Group (1 (0.82 %) vs. 9 (8.33 %), P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in adverse events between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

CO2 laser therapy combined with interferon α2a significantly improves clinical outcomes in LSIL patients with HR-HPV infection. This combination therapy enhances HPV clearance, reduces viral load, and decreases recurrence rates without increasing adverse events.