RECURRENT respiratory papillomatosis is a rare condition characterised by recurrent wart-like growths on the surface of or tissue around the larynx. This benign, chronic disease is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Limited therapeutic success has been achieved with a combination of surgical and immunomodulatory approaches. Now, a new study has investigated using a prophylactic HPV vaccine that includes HPV-6 and HPV-11 antigens.
The research team conducted a non-placebo-controlled intervention study. The objective was to determine whether HPV vaccination resulted in a lower number of recurrences of wart-like growths requiring surgical intervention in patients with either new or recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.
Overall, 50 patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis were enrolled. All patients were administered the HPV vaccination as an adjuvant treatment and were clinically followed-up. Surgical removal via a direct laryngoscopy was indicted upon detection of either recurrent respiratory papillomatosis progression or a significant recurrent lesion. Data from 42 patients were available for the final outcome.
The main outcome was variation in the frequency of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis recurrences between the pre- and post-vaccination period.
Based on the research results, the frequency of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis recurrences was significantly lower after HPV vaccination. Furthermore, no difference was observed in the frequency of recurrent post-vaccination lesions in patients with new or recurrent disease. Therefore, the team concluded that both groups obtained equal benefit from vaccination. Ultimately, the sooner that patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis receive the vaccine, the earlier they might display a reduced burden of disease.
