HPV 16/18-associated condyloma acuminatum of the urinary bladder: first international report and review of literature

Abstract

Condyloma acuminatum is an anogenital lesion caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, a common sexually transmitted disease. It usually affects the external genitalia while urethral and/or bladder involvement is rare. HPV types are classified into three categories depending on their oncogenic potential: low risk (type 6, 11, 42, 43, 44, 59, 66, 68, 70), intermediate risk (type 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 39, 40, 49, 51, 52, 53, 57, 58, 63, 64) and high risk (type 16, 18, 45, 56). High-risk and intermediate-risk HPV-DNA types, together with other co-factors still to be defined, are responsible for over 90% of the cases of anogenital pre-malignant and malignant tumours. We report a unique case of a urinary bladder condyloma acuminatum positive for HPV 16/18 DNA, presented as the primary and only site of the disease in an immunocompetent patient. We review the treatment and follow-up strategies of this rare lesion.