Cervical Papanicolaou Smears in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients: High Prevalence of Therapy-Related Atypia during the Acute Phase

Lower Genital Tract Precancer and Cancer in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Survivors and the Role of HPV: A Systematic Review and Future Perspectives

Female recipients of hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) may develop lower genital tract (LGT) dysplasia or new malignancies. A comprehensive systematic review to delineate the occurrence and risk factors for post-HCT LGT precancer and cancer in women was conducted via electronic search of the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Wiley Online Library, from 1990 to 2018. All studies on the risk, presentation, or incidence of LGT (cervix, vulva, vagina) precancer or cancer post-HCT were included. Reviews, case reports, meta-analysis, book chapters, and studies without the relevant clinical outcomes were excluded. Post-HCT incidence and risk factors for developing LGT precancer or cancer were assessed and determined. Twenty-two out of the original 344 studies met the selection criteria. The risk of LGT cancers in allo-HCT recipients was found to be significantly higher than in the general population, with the standardized incidence ratios of 1.5–48 for cervical cancer and from 19 to 287 for dysplasia. Our review portrays an increased risk of premalignant and malignant neoplasms of female LGT, which have an incompletely described epidemiology and outcomes. Similar to other immunocompromised states, HCT recipients require specific cervical screening guidelines and can greatly benefit from HPV vaccinations. However, there is a lack of prospective data regarding optimum cervical screening in HCT recipients and limited programs offer HPV vaccinations worldwide.

Atypical cytological changes mimicking SIL of the uterine cervix in allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients treated with busulfan

BACKGROUND

Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a common procedure in hematological disorders and is preceded by a conditioning regimen that usually includes busulfan. The immunosuppression caused by the conditioning regimen and graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) persistence and, consequently, with an increased risk of cervical cancer (CC) and squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs)-the precursors of CC. A gynecological check-up that includes CC screening is recommended in these patients.

METHODS

All female recipients of allo-HSCT undergo routine gynecological check-up that includes CC screening. Cervical samples were obtained for liquid-based cytology and HPV testing. Cytology smears were stained with the Papanicolaou (Pap) technique. A colposcopy evaluation was performed if any abnormal result in the screening tests was obtained.

RESULTS

Among 15 women undergoing gynecological examination at 1 year after allo-HSCT who had received a conditioning regimen that included busulfan, 4 (26.7%) showed atypical squamous cells in the Pap smear, suggesting high-grade SIL. The abnormalities were identified from 136 to 271 days after allo-HSCT. In all cases, HPV testing was negative, and colposcopy examination was normal. The cytological abnormalities regressed in 3 of the women after 1 year but persisted in 1 woman at day 382 after allo-HSCT.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment-related atypia mimicking SIL is a common finding in allo-HSCT recipients who have received busulfan, particularly in the first year after the procedure. However, atypical changes may persist for more than 1 year. Clinical information, HPV testing, and colposcopy examination are critical to prevent misdiagnosis and overtreatment in these patients.