Screening and follow-up of patients with anal HPV induced lesions for anal carcinoma prevention

Abstract

The human papillomavirus is the most frequent sexually transmitted agent in anorectal area. This virus provokes clinical and sub-clinical lesions that can evolve to anal carcinoma. Its incidence is increasing among those who practice anal receptive sex; in both gender patients with genital HPV induced lesions; in those with high grade anal intra-epithelial neoplasia, anal carcinoma precursor, mainly among HIV infected persons or with other causes of immunodeficiency. Another HPV induced lesions characteristic is their elevated incidence of recurrences. Therefore, the follow-up for long periods and the new therapies research are required. The possibility of precursor lesions detection suggests that standardized programs for screening should be recommended. Anal cytology screening programs have been done with efficiency similar to genital cytology, and high resolution anoscopy has been indicated to direct biopsies, although, some authors recommended it as a method of anal cancer screening. This article described anal cytology standardization and how to perform high resolution anoscopy, as so, the periodicity they should be repeated.