[CO2 laser therapy and typing of human papilloma virus in follow-up studies of cervix intraepithelial neoplasms].

In 104 woman patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I-III who had been treated between 1981 and May 1986 in the dysplasia consulting-room of the Department of Gynecology by means of conisation effected by laser, we checked on therapeutic success via cytology and colposcopy as well as by human papilloma virus (HPV) typing. In 90.3% of the cases 1.25 laser treatments sufficed for healing of the lesion. Relapses occurred mainly in severe intraepithelial neoplasias with identified HPV 16/18. Incidence of HPV was reduced from 56% before therapy to 13.3% after therapy. This shows that laser therapy can be regarded as an effective treatment of the causes of the disease even in CIN associated with HPV. The markedly increased relapse rate in CIN III (24%) makes a reliable follow-up mandatory especially in such cases.