In view of the upcoming prophylactic HPV vaccine: Can we also vaccinate against vulvar (pre-)neoplastic disease?

Aims: The incidence of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) and vulvar cancer is increasing over the past two decades. The role of high risk HPV in the pathogenesis of undifferentiated, nonkeratinizing VIN and vulvar cancer in young women has been demonstrated, with HPV16 as the predominant virus type. In view of the upcoming prophylactic HPV vaccine aimed to prevent HPV 16, 18 (and 6, 11) infections we analysed the prevalence of HPV DNA and distribution of types in 133 patients with VIN/AIN 2–3 and vulvar carcinoma to predict the additional effect of the vaccine in prevention of vulvar disease. Methods: 136 s…