Correlation of epithelial lesions between different sites of female genital tract
10.3760/cma.j.cn112141-20250309-00083
- VernacularTitle:女性下生殖道各部位上皮病变发生的相关性研究
- Author:
Jianan XIAO
1
;
Weiyong GU
;
Xiang TAO
;
Yan XIE
Author Information
1. 复旦大学附属妇产科医院病理科，上海 200011
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Squamous intraepithelial lesions;
Genitalia, female;
Cervix uteri;
Vagina;
Vulva;
Biopsy;
Colposcopy
- From:
Chinese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
2025;60(7):549-555
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the correlation of epithelial lesions among different biopsy sites in the female lower genital tract and the relationship between age and lesion distribution.Methods:A total of 406 148 patients with cervical biopsy specimens archived at the Department of Pathology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University from January 2010 to December 2021 were analyzed. Among them, 70 309 cases (17.31%) had concurrent vaginal biopsies, and 16 073 cases (3.96%) had concurrent vulvar biopsies. (1) Cases were divided into four 3-year intervals to compare vaginal or vulvar biopsy rates and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) or worse (HSIL +) detection rates across time periods. (2) Correlations between cervical lesions and vaginal or vulvar lesions were assessed. (3) Patients were stratified into three age groups (<30, 30-49, and ≥50 years) to compare vaginal or vulvar HSIL + detection rates. Results:Mean ages of patients with cervical, vaginal, and vulvar biopsies were (41.3±11.0), (47.4±12.5), and (41.9±13.2) years, respectively. Patients with vaginal biopsy were significantly older than cervical or vulvar groups (all P<0.001). (1) Vaginal biopsy rates increased markedly from 7.37% (2010—2012) to 22.76% (2019—2021; χ2=9 205.01, P<0.001); vulvar biopsy rates increased slightly from 2.80% to 5.69% ( χ2=1 777.25, P<0.001). Correspondingly, vaginal HSIL + detection rates rose from 0.28% to >0.5% (0.56% in 2013—2015, 0.59% in 2016—2018, 0.51% in 2019—2021; χ2=134.70, P<0.001), while vulvar HSIL + rates increased from 0.03% to 0.33% ( χ2=56.54, P<0.001). (2) Weak correlation existed between cervical and vaginal lesions ( r=0.28; P<0.001; n=70 309), while cervical-vulvar correlation was weaker ( r=0.22, P<0.001; n=16 073). (3) Vaginal HSIL + detection rates were higher in cervical HSIL + patients aged 30-49 years (26.65%) and ≥50 years (26.79%) versus <30 years (14.63%; both P<0.001). Conversely, vulvar HSIL + detection rates were higher in the <30 years group (23.08%) versus 30-49 years (13.83%) and ≥50 years (12.89%; both P<0.05). Conclusions:Vaginal or vulvar lesion detection rates increase with biopsy frequency. Vaginal lesions correlate with cervical abnormalities, whereas vulvar lesions are relatively independent. In cervical HSIL + patients, those <30 years are more prone to have vulvar HSIL +, while those ≥30 years show higher vaginal HSIL + incidence. These age-specific distribution patterns inform optimized biopsy strategies.
