Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39745094›Full record

ArticleActa obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica2025

High rate of persistent HPV detection after diagnostic cervical excision in older screen-positive women.

Line Winther Gustafson, Louise Krog, Bayan Sardini, Mette Tranberg, Lone Kjeld Petersen, Berit Andersen, Pinar Bor, Anne Hammer

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Cervical cancer screening strategies in women 65 years and older in the human papillomavirus era: A systematic review and meta-analysis of human papillomavirus-based testing and self-sampling approaches.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Prospective Evaluation of Cytology, CINtecJournal of clinical medicine · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Line Winther GustafsonUniversity Research Clinic for Cancer Screening, Department of Public Health Programmes, Randers Regional Hospital, Randers, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0003-4149-4708
Louise KrogDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0001-7237-4536
Bayan SardiniUniversity Research Clinic for Cancer Screening, Department of Public Health Programmes, Randers Regional Hospital, Randers, Denmark.
Mette TranbergUniversity Research Clinic for Cancer Screening, Department of Public Health Programmes, Randers Regional Hospital, Randers, Denmark.
Lone Kjeld PetersenDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Berit AndersenUniversity Research Clinic for Cancer Screening, Department of Public Health Programmes, Randers Regional Hospital, Randers, Denmark.
Pinar BorDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Anne HammerDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-4616-9827

Funding

A. P. Møllerske StøttefondDagmar Marshalls FondElse og Mogens Wedell Wedellsborgs FondFabrikant Einar Willumsens MindelegatKræftens BekæmpelseRegion Midtjyllands Sundhedsvidenskabelige Forskningsfond
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDiagnostic work-up of older women with a positive cervical cancer screening test is often challenging due to incomplete visualization of the transformation zone. To reduce the risk of missing disease, a diagnostic cervical excision may be performed. However, little is known on treatment efficacy and post-treatment surveillance for older women. We aimed to investigate the proportion of women testing negative for human papillomavirus (HPV) following a diagnostic cervical excision due to an abnormal screening test. MATERIAL AND

methodsWe conducted a prospective cohort study on women aged ≥45 years who were referred for colposcopy due to an abnormal screening test between March 2019 and June 2021. All women had incomplete visualization of the transformation zone and underwent colposcopy and a diagnostic cervical excision at the first visit. Women were followed from date of excision until January 30, 2023. Follow-up data was retrieved from the Danish Pathology Databank, and baseline characteristics were obtained from medical records. Cox regression was used on interval-censored data to estimate crude and adjusted hazard ratios for a negative HPV test after cervical excision, stratified by histology and age.

resultsA total of 100 women underwent a diagnostic cervical excision and had at least one HPV test during follow-up. Median age was 67.4 years, and median follow-up time was 2.9 years. At the end of follow-up, 70% tested HPV negative. Women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade two or worse in their excision specimen were more likely to test HPV negative at the first test after cervical excision compared to women with less than cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade two, however, not statistically significant (adjusted hazard ratio 1.69, 95% CI 0.92-3.10). Women aged 65-84 years were less likely to test HPV negative compared to women <65 years (adjusted hazard ratio 0.49, 95% CI 0.28-0.87).

conclusionsIn older women undergoing a diagnostic cervical excision, 70% tested HPV negative after 2.9 years, leaving 30% with persistent HPV positivity. More studies are needed to determine the risks associated with continued HPV positivity in the absence of high-grade disease. Furthermore, given the absence of specific guidelines, the optimal surveillance frequency remains unknown.

Indexed as

Papillomavirus InfectionsUterine Cervical DysplasiaUterine Cervical NeoplasmsAgedCervix UteriColposcopyDenmarkEarly Detection of CancerFemaleHumansMiddle AgedPapillomaviridaeProspective Studiescervical intraepithelial neoplasiaHPVlarge loop excision of the transformation zoneloss of HPV detectionpostmenopausal womentest‐of‐cure

Identifiers

PMID39745094
PMCPMC11782055

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.