Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone (LLETZ) With vs Without IntraOperative Application of Lugol's Iodine

Cervical Dysplasia Clinical Trial

— LLETZ-IOLI  

Official title:

Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone (LLETZ) With Versus Without Intraoperative Application of Lugol's Iodine in Women With Cervical Dysplasia: a Prospective Randomized Trial

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05132114
• Other study ID #: LLETZ-IOLI-1
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 17, 2022
• Est. completion date: October 2024

Study information

• Verified date: April 2024
• Source: Ruhr University of Bochum
• Contact: Clemens B Temfper, MD, MBA
• Phone: +492323499
• Email: clemens.tempfer[@]rub.de
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women and one of the leading causes of death in women worldwide. Pre-cancerous lesions (dysplasias) are detected by the gynecologist's preventive smear test and can thus contribute to a 100% chance of cure if they are clarified by a colposcopic examination as part of the dysplasia consultation and, if necessary, surgically removed. Conization (= surgical removal of a cone of tissue from the cervix) is the method of choice for removing the diseased tissue. LLETZ conization (Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone) is the worldwide standard surgical procedure for conization. There is risk of local persistence of the precancerous lesion if the cervical dysplasia is not completely removed. To minimize this, the iodine test can be used. Here, a 5% iodine solution (so-called Lugol's solution) is dabbed onto the cervix uteri, resulting in an intense and characteristic brown staining of the healthy cervical epithelium. Sites without staining are termed iodine negative and may contain dysplastic cells. The strength of iodine testing lies in its high specificity, i.e., the reliable ability to exclude false-positive results. The purpose of intraoperative iodine staining is to select the resection line with a high degree of certainty in healthy (i.e., iodine-positive) tissue in order to reduce the rate of cervical dysplasia that is not completely removed (so-called non-in-sano resection, or R1 resection). Systematic survey data from the dysplasia units certified in Germany on the question of the use of intraoperative iodine testing in Germany are lacking, as is the literature as a whole. For example, the current S3 guideline of the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics on the diagnosis and treatment of cervical dysplasia (as of March 2020) names intraoperative iodine testing only as a possible option for performing LLETZ.

In this prospective, randomized study, the investigators aim to answer the question whether LLETZ performed with the help of an iodine test with selection of the resection line in the iodine-positive area leads to a lower rate of R1 resections compared to the standard LLETZ without iodine test.

Description:

1. Background 1.1. HPV and dysplasias of the cervix uteri Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the most common sexually transmitted pathogens worldwide. The prevalence in both male and female populations is high. Epidemiological estimates suggest that 85-91% of sexually active adults acquire at least one genital HPV infection by the age of 50, with approximately 95% of HPV infections being spontaneously eliminated within 2 years in terms of HPV immunological clearance. HPV preferentially infects the epithelial cells of the anogenital area and, through incorporation of HPV DNA into the host genome of the basal cells of the squamous epithelium of the cervix and subsequent expression of viral components, causes dysplastic changes in the cervical epithelium that, if left untreated, can develop into invasive carcinoma of the cervix (cervical carcinoma). Cervical carcinoma is the fourth most common cancer as well as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide, responsible for 6.6% (570,000) of all new cancer cases and 7.5% (311,000) of cancer-related deaths in women in 2018. The precursor of squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix (approximately 80% of all cervical cancers) is cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), which has three grades of expression (CIN1, CIN 2, and CIN 3). Compared with invasive cervical carcinoma, the incidence of precancerous lesions of the cervix uteri is much higher. It is estimated that approximately 100,000 women in Germany develop high-grade dysplasia (CIN2/CIN3) annually.

1.2. Surgical treatment If precancerous lesions with the potential to develop into an invasive cervical tumor are detected, conization (= surgical removal of a cone of tissue from the cervix) is the method of choice for removing the diseased tissue. Worldwide standard as surgical procedure for conization is LLETZ-conization (Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone). In addition to the risk of local persistence of the precancerous lesion if the cervical dysplasia is incompletely removed, LLETZ also increases the risk of preterm birth in a subsequent pregnancy. This risk increases with increasing volume of removed tissue. To reduce or avoid the aforementioned complications, conization should be performed under colposcopic vision and as little healthy cervical tissue as possible should be removed. One method of LLETZ that is as tissue-conserving as possible is the intraoperative use of the so-called 'iodine test'.

1.3. The iodine test For the identification of healthy squamous epithelium of the cervix uteri, the so-called Schiller's iodine test can be used, which has been part of the clinical routine in the context of colposcopy of cervical dysplasias for decades. In the iodine test, a 5% iodine solution (so-called Lugol's solution) is dabbed onto the cervix uteri, resulting in an intense and characteristic brown staining of the healthy cervical epithelium. Sites without staining are termed iodine negative and may contain dysplastic cells. The strength of iodine testing lies in its high specificity, i.e., the reliable ability to exclude false-positive results. Not all iodine-negative areas contain CIN, but iodine-positive areas are almost certainly healthy. In some centers, because of these characteristics of the iodine sample, it is used during LLETZ to define the resection line of LLETZ. The aim of this approach is to select the resection line with a high degree of certainty in healthy (i.e., iodine-positive) tissue in order to reduce the rate of cervical dysplasia that is not completely removed (so-called 'non-in-sano resection' or 'R1 resection'). Systematic survey data from the dysplasia units certified in Germany on the question of the use of intraoperative iodine testing in Germany are lacking. The current S3 guideline of the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics on the diagnosis and therapy of cervical dysplasia (as of March 2020) also refers to intraoperative iodine testing as a possible option for performing LLETZ. However, exact figures from controlled studies on the usefulness of iodine test-guided LLETZ are lacking in the literature (PubMed search on 10/15/2021; search terms: cervical dysplasia, colposcopy, Lugol's test, iodine test, Lugol's staining; LLETZ; LEEP; conization). At our certified dysplasia center, it is the decision of the respective surgeon whether an additional intraoperative iodine test is performed or not.

2. Aim of the study The aim of this study is to answer the question under prospective randomized conditions whether LLETZ performed with the aid of iodine assay with selection of the resection line in the iodine-positive region leads to a lower rate of R1 resections compared with standard LLETZ without iodine assay.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 216
• Est. completion date: October 2024
• Est. primary completion date: July 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Female
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Written consent

• Colposcopy performed preoperatively

• Histologically (by previously performed colposcopy) confirmed dysplasia (CIN 1, CIN 2 or CIN 3)

• Age >18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant patients

• Patients with insufficient knowledge of the German language

• Treatments already performed on the cervix uteri, in particular conization

• Blood coagulation disorders

• Taking blood thinning substances

• Iodine allergy

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Cervical Dysplasia
• Uterine Cervical Dysplasia

Intervention

Diagnostic Test:
• Lugol's iodine test
Intraoperative application of Lugol's iodine (i.e. staining of the cervix with Lugol's iodine solution)

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Germany	Marien Hospital Herne	Herne	NRW

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Ruhr University of Bochum

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Germany, 

References & Publications (13)

Bevis KS, Biggio JR. Cervical conization and the risk of preterm delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Jul;205(1):19-27. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2011.01.003. Epub 2011 Feb 23. — View Citation

Bray F, Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Siegel RL, Torre LA, Jemal A. Global cancer statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2018 Nov;68(6):394-424. doi: 10.3322/caac.21492. Epub 2018 Sep 12. Erratum In: CA Cancer J Clin. 2020 Jul;70(4):313. — View Citation

Chesson HW, Dunne EF, Hariri S, Markowitz LE. The estimated lifetime probability of acquiring human papillomavirus in the United States. Sex Transm Dis. 2014 Nov;41(11):660-4. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000193. — View Citation

Hilal Z, Rezniczek GA, Alici F, Kumpernatz A, Dogan A, Alieva L, Tempfer CB. Loop electrosurgical excision procedure with or without intraoperative colposcopy: a randomized trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Oct;219(4):377.e1-377.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2018.07.023. Epub 2018 Jul 29. — View Citation

Hilal Z, Rezniczek GA, El-Fizazi N, Tempfer CB. Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone Versus True Cone Biopsy Electrode Excision: A Randomized Trial. J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2017 Oct;21(4):272-278. doi: 10.1097/LGT.0000000000000329. — View Citation

Jin G, LanLan Z, Li C, Dan Z. Pregnancy outcome following loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2014 Jan;289(1):85-99. doi: 10.1007/s00404-013-2955-0. Epub 2013 Jul 11. — View Citation

Khalid S, Dimitriou E, Conroy R, Paraskevaidis E, Kyrgiou M, Harrity C, Arbyn M, Prendiville W. The thickness and volume of LLETZ specimens can predict the relative risk of pregnancy-related morbidity. BJOG. 2012 May;119(6):685-91. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2011.03252.x. Epub 2012 Feb 14. — View Citation

Kuhn W. [Colposcopy in the diagnosis of early cervical cancer]. Pathologe. 2011 Nov;32(6):497-504. doi: 10.1007/s00292-011-1480-9. German. — View Citation

Mathevet P, Chemali E, Roy M, Dargent D. Long-term outcome of a randomized study comparing three techniques of conization: cold knife, laser, and LEEP. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2003 Feb 10;106(2):214-8. doi: 10.1016/s0301-2115(02)00245-2. — View Citation

Preaubert L, Gondry J, Mancini J, Chevreau J, Lamblin G, Atallah A, Lavoue V, Caradec C, Baldauf JJ, Bryand A, Henno S, Villeret J, Agostini A, Douvier S, Jarniat A, Riethmuller D, Mendel A, Brun JL, Rakotomahenina H, Carcopino X. Benefits of Direct Colposcopic Vision for Optimal LLETZ Procedure: A Prospective Multicenter Study. J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2016 Jan;20(1):15-21. doi: 10.1097/LGT.0000000000000156. — View Citation

Rezniczek GA, Hecken JM, Rehman S, Dogan A, Tempfer CB, Hilal Z. Syringe or mask? Loop electrosurgical excision procedure under local or general anesthesia: a randomized trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Dec;223(6):888.e1-888.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.06.041. Epub 2020 Jul 24. — View Citation

Shaco-Levy R, Eger G, Dreiher J, Benharroch D, Meirovitz M. Positive margin status in uterine cervix cone specimens is associated with persistent/recurrent high-grade dysplasia. Int J Gynecol Pathol. 2014 Jan;33(1):83-8. doi: 10.1097/PGP.0b013e3182763158. — View Citation

Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, Johnston CM, Muzny CA, Park I, Reno H, Zenilman JM, Bolan GA. Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021 Jul 23;70(4):1-187. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.rr7004a1. — View Citation

* Note: There are 13 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Rate of R1 resections	The primary outcome parameter is the rate of R1 resections, defined as the presence of a CIN I, CIN II, or CIN III at the ectocervical and/or endocervical resection margin, as indicated in the histopathologic report.	Specimen from surgery (result expected 1-2 days after surgery)
Secondary	Cone mass	The weight of the cone specimen (measured in grams in the unfixed state)	During surgery, immediately after the excision
Secondary	Procedure duration	Duration of the procedure (from start until complete hemostasis is achieved)	At surgery
Secondary	Rate of complications	The occurring intra- and postoperative complications in a period within 14 days after surgery	During surgery up to 14 days post surgery
Secondary	Surgeon's rating of handling	The assessment of the surgeon's handling of the surgical technique (LLETZ with/without intraoperative iodine assay) (11-item numerical rating scale [NRS]; 0 = very cumbersome, 10 = very easy)	Immediately after surgery
Secondary	Surgeon's satisfaction	The surgeon's satisfaction with the course of the operation in general (11-item NRS; 0 = no satisfied at all, 10 = very satisfied)	Immediately after surgery
Secondary	Time to complete hemostasis	The time from start of electro-coagulation until complete hemostasis (seconds)	During surgery
Secondary	Blood loss	The intraoperative blood loss (measured as the difference between preoperative and 3-5 hours postoperative Hb levels).	At surgery

External Links

•   German S3 Guidelines