Vaginal Adsorbent Gel as a Therapeutic Agent: Is a New Era Beginning for HPV?

Objectives: Persistent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the cervix and the preinvasive lesions it causes are significant risk factors for cervical cancer. Therefore, a treatment strategy is necessary to facilitate the clearance of HPV and prevent the progression of preinvasive lesions without causing cervical tissue destruction. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a vaginal adsorbent gel composed of a hydroxyethyl cellulose matrix formulation containing dispersed silicon dioxide, antioxidant sodium selenite, deflamin, and citric acid in patients with HPV infection. Methods: The study was designed as a retrospective cohort study and involved 449 women infected with HPV. For the purposes of the study, the patients were divided into two groups: the treatment group (TG) comprised 207 patients who used the vaginal gel daily for a period of three months, while the control group (CG), consisting of 242 patients, received no treatment under an "active surveillance" protocol. The study's endpoints encompassed the domains of cytology, histology, and HPV clearance. Results: The regression rate of smear pathologies was 24.8% in the control group and 29.0% in the group using the vaginal adsorbent gel. In the first year, the histological regression rate in cervical biopsies was 49.3% in the treatment group and 19.4% in the control group, with a significant difference between groups (p < 0.001). Moreover, the clearance rate of HPV types was found to be significantly higher in the group using the vaginal adsorbent gel. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the outpatient treatment approach can effectively prevent the oncogenic progression of cervical dysplasia. This alternative method has been shown to be efficacious in preventing the progression of cervical dysplasia and promoting regression. Furthermore, the efficacy of this gel in eradicating HPV has been demonstrated within a 12-month period.