Long-term Follow-up of Infrared Coagulator Ablation of Anal High-Grade Dysplasia in Men Who Have Sex With Men

• Published in: Diseases of the colon & rectum Vol. 54; no. 10; pp. 1284 - 1292
• Main Authors: Goldstone, Robert N., Goldstone, Andrew B., Russ, James, Goldstone, Stephen E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MDc The ASCRS 01.10.2011; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anus Neoplasms - pathology; Anus Neoplasms - surgery; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma in Situ - pathology; Carcinoma in Situ - surgery; Chi-Square Distribution; Follow-Up Studies; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; HIV Seronegativity; HIV Seropositivity; Homosexuality, Male; Humans; Infrared Rays - therapeutic use; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Light Coagulation; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - diagnosis; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - surgery; Precancerous Conditions - pathology; Precancerous Conditions - surgery; Proportional Hazards Models; Retrospective Studies; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult; Dysplasia; Homosexuality; Retroviridae; Lentivirus; Long term; Virus; Infrared coagulator ablation; High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion; Anus; HIV; Anal dysplasia; Gastroenterology; Squamous intraepithelial lesion; Human immunodeficiency virus; High malignancy
• DOI: 10.1097/DCR.0b013e318227833e
• ISSN: 0012-3706; 1530-0358

BACKGROUND:We previously reported on infrared coagulator ablation of anal high-grade intraepithelial squamous lesions in HIV-positive and HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM) with a median follow-up of 1.5 years. OBJECTIVE:We sought to determine high-grade intraepithelial squamous lesion recurrence rates after long-term follow-up for infrared coagulator ablation, and whether patients progressed to invasive cancer. DESIGN:This study investigated a retrospective cohort. SETTING:This study was set in an office-based practice. PATIENTS:The patients evaluated were MSM who underwent at least 1 infrared coagulator anal high-grade intraepithelial squamous lesion ablation between 1999 and 2005 with at least 1-year additional follow-up. INTERVENTION:Infrared coagulator ablation had been performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT:The primary outcomes measured were high-grade intraepithelial squamous lesion recurrence and progression to anal squamous-cell carcinoma. RESULTS:Ninety-six MSM were included (44 HIV-positive) with a median follow-up of 48 and 69 months in HIV-negative and HIV-positive MSM. Thiry-five percent of HIV-positive and 31% of HIV-negative subjects from the original cohort were lost to follow-up. In HIV-negative MSM, 32 (62%) had a recurrence in a mean of 14 months. Recurrence rates after the second and third treatments were 48% and 57%. In HIV-positive MSM, 40 (91%) had a recurrence in a mean of 17 months. Recurrence rates after the second, third, and fourth infrared coagulator ablations were 63%, 85%, and 47%. After the first ablation, HIV-positive MSM were 1.9 times more likely to have a recurrence than HIV-negative MSM (P = .009). One year after the first ablation, 61% of HIV-positive MSM had recurrent high-grade intraepithelial squamous lesions in comparison with 38% of HIV-negative MSM. One year after the second ablation, 49% of HIV-positive MSM had recurrent high-grade intraepithelial squamous lesions in comparison with 28% of HIV-negative MSM. In HIV-negative and HIV-positive MSM, the probability of curing an individual lesion after first ablation was 80% and 67%. Most recurrence was due to the development of metachronous lesions occurring in 82% and 52% of HIV-positive and HIV-negative subjects after their first infrared coagulator treatment. The mean number of recurrent lesions for both HIV-positive and HIV-negative MSM was never >2. No MSM developed squamous-cell carcinoma, and there were no serious adverse events. At last visit, 82% of HIV-positive MSM and 90% of HIV-negative MSM were high-grade intraepithelial squamous lesion free. LIMITATIONS:This was a retrospective, observational study with significant loss to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS:Infrared coagulator ablation is an effective treatment for high-grade intraepithelial squamous lesions, and no patients progressed to cancer. HIV-positive patients are significantly more likely to have a recurrence, and recurrence occurred more rapidly in these patients. Continued follow-up is important.