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Research Article: Adjunctive photodynamic therapy improves outcomes and quality of life in condyloma acuminatum after radical cervical cancer surgery

Date Published: 2026-06-23

Abstract:
Condyloma acuminatum (CA), caused by human papillomavirus infection, frequently persists or recurs in patients undergoing treatment for cervical cancer and can significantly impair postoperative quality of life. Purpose: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with CO 2 laser versus CO 2 laser monotherapy in alleviating condyloma acuminatum (CA) symptoms and improving quality of life in patients with early-stage cervical cancer complicated by CA after radical surgery. In this retrospective study, 148 patients were divided into a single laser group (n=81) receiving only CO 2 laser and a combined PDT group (n=67) receiving both CO 2 laser and PDT. Primary outcomes included CA symptom relief (assessed at 6 months post-treatment) and quality of life evaluated using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) at baseline and 6 months. Secondary outcomes comprised human papillomavirus (HPV), a viral load, and serum cytokine levels measured at baseline and 4 weeks, as well as recorded adverse reactions. The combined PDT group demonstrated a significantly higher overall symptom relief rate (94.03% vs. 77.78%, P = 0.006) and lower recurrence rates at 3 months (7.46% vs. 24.69%) and 6 months (11.94% vs. 34.57%) compared to the single laser group. Greater improvements were observed in DLQI (10.46 vs. 11.73, P = 0.001), FSFI scores (25.09 vs. 23.83, P = 0.013), and across multiple EORTC QLQ-C30 domains—including physical, role, emotional, and social functioning, as well as global health status (all P<0.05) in the combined group. Viral load reduction was more pronounced (0.97 vs. 2.44 ×10 6 copies/mL, P<0.001), accompanied by a more favorable cytokine profile shift. Adverse reactions differed, with more erythema/edema but less scarring in the combined PDT group (all P<0.05). The addition of photodynamic therapy, a light-based immunomodulatory approach within photomedicine, enhances clinical outcomes and supports improved quality of life, potentially through synergistic cytotoxic and immune-mediated mechanisms.

Introduction:
Condyloma acuminatum (CA), caused by human papillomavirus infection, frequently persists or recurs in patients undergoing treatment for cervical cancer and can significantly impair postoperative quality of life. Purpose: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with CO 2 laser versus CO 2 laser monotherapy in alleviating condyloma acuminatum (CA) symptoms and improving quality of life in patients with early-stage cervical cancer complicated by CA after radical surgery.

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