Comparison of efficacy of ALA-PDT and CO2 laser in the treatment of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia II (VaIN II)
To compare and analyze the efficacy as well as adverse effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (5-ALA-PDT) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser therapy in the treatment of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia II (VaIN II), and assess the feasibility, safety, and influencing factors of ALA-PDT. A retrospective review was conducted on the clinical data of 79 patients with VaIN II (PDT group = 37, Laser group = 42) who were treated at the Gynecology Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2022 to January 2024. Follow-up evaluations were carried out at 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. During these follow-ups, human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, cervical liquid-based cytology (TCT), colposcopy, and vaginal lesion biopsy were utilized to assess key outcomes, including the lesion reversal rate, HPV clearance, and treatment-related adverse reactions in both groups. The lesion reversal rates following ALA-PDT treatment were 83.3 %, 86.1 %, and 88.2 % at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. There was no significant difference when compared to the laser group. However, the negative HPV conversion rates at 6 and 12 months after ALA-PDT treatment were 73.5 % and 87.5 %, respectively, which were significantly higher than those observed in the CO For the treatment of VaIN II, ALA-PDT exhibits equivalent lesion reversal rates and superior HPV clearance compared to CO