Residual disease and presence of human papillomavirus after conization

The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of residual disease and the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) after conization. Data on 53 patients with carcinoma in situ or microinvasive carcinoma who underwent hysterectomy less than 2 months after conization were examined. Seven of 53 patients (13%) had positive margins. In 4 of these 7 patients (57%), residual disease was found in the postconization hysterectomy specimen. Two of 46 patients (4%) with negative margins also had residual disease. HPV DNA was detected by PCR in 27 of 53 conization specimens and in 2 postconization hysterectomy specimens. Of 2 patients, 1 did not have residual disease. Residual disease could be present even with a negative conization margin, and HPV DNA may be found in a histologically normal cervix after conization.