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

Background 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. Methods 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. Results 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). Conclusion 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.