Women who have precancerous lesions removed have increased risk of developing cervical, vaginal cancer for at least 25 years

Women who have precancerous lesions removed from their cervix are at an increased risk of developing cervical or vaginal cancer during the 25 years after the procedure, according to a study published on Friday in BMJ, Reuters reports.

For the study, Bjorn Strander of Sahlgren's Academy at the University of Gothenburg and colleagues examined records from the National Swedish Cancer Register of more than 132,000 women diagnosed with precancerous lesions from 1958 to 2002. The researchers found 881 women had developed cervical cancer and 111 women had developed vaginal cancer more than one year following their diagnosis, even after they had the lesions removed (Kahn, Reuters, 10/25). According to the researchers, women with cervical lesions were more than twice as likely to develop invasive cancer of the cervix, compared with the general female population. A woman's risk of cancer increased if she was older at the time of diagnosis, particularly among women ages 50 or older, the study found. Women with severe lesions were almost seven times as likely to develop cancer, compared with the general population; however, the risk decreased threefold 25 years after treatment, the study found (AFP/Yahoo! News, 10/25).

The findings underscore the need for follow-up tests to continue for at least 25 years after treatment, Strander said, adding, "This is a warning to the health care system to keep track of these women." The reason the risk remains high has not been investigated, "but there are indications it could be because a lack of surveillance," Strander said, adding, "The risk is quite steady. It does not decrease." In a related BMJ editorial, researchers wrote that the findings show current testing guidelines are not sufficient and that further study is necessary. "One clear indication is that women treated for (severe precancerous lesions) should continue surveillance beyond the age limit of regular screening," the editorial says (Reuters, 10/25).

The study is available online.

The related editorial also is available online.