A Comparison of Imiquimod Cream and Cryosurgery Treatment of hrHPV Infected Cervical Intraepithelial Cells

• Main Author: Charles Fields, Lisa A
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Subjects: health sciences, public health
• ISBN: 9781267112354; 1267112352

High risk human papilloma virus (hrHPV) is a sexually transmitted infection that causes cervical dysplasia which can lead to cervical cancer (CC) and more than 4000 women in the United States die from cervical cancer yearly. Women over the age of 30 are at risk for developing cervical cancer if their immune system has not cleared the hrHPV from their body (persistent infection). Imiquimod cream 5% is FDA approved for genital warts and the human cancer, basal cell carcinoma. Based on post-positivist theory, the hypothesis was that there would be no significant difference in the treatment outcomes between imiquimod cream 5% and the standard treatment of cryosurgery for hrHPV infected cervical intraepithelial cells. A quantitative chart review, utilizing chi-square analysis, of women between the ages of 19 and 63 (N=107) with persistent hrHPV infected cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIL) at one medical practice was used compared the two treatments. Traditional cryosurgery treatment (n=59) and imiquimod cream 5% (n=48) eradication outcomes were 61.7% and 81.3% respectively. No statistical differences were found in the treatments. Results can be used to better inform women who do not want watchful waiting or invasive cryosurgery treatment or who do not have access to sophisticated medical care and equipment. Positive social change for women can result by providing a less invasive, cost effective and easily accessible treatment options that could reduce the number of women diagnosed with CC worldwide, thus improving the lives of woman, their families and communities.