Objective: Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is caused by human papilloma virus types 6 and 11 and occurs in both children and adults. It is characterized by the proliferation of benign squamous papillomas within the aerodigestive tract. The problem with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis treatment is the high recurrence of papilloma growth after surgical removal.
Method: A literature review was carried out through surveys based on electronic data in public domains: MedLine (USA National Library of Medicine), PubMed and SciELO, using the keywords recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, adjuvant treatment, cidofovir, and bevacizumab. All types of papers written in English were included (cross-sectional, prospective and retrospective clinical trials, review papers, and case reports).
Results: In the recent literature, several types of treatment such as surgery with mechanical debulking or laser and adjuvant therapies are mentioned. Intralesional bevacizumab and cidofovir treatment may increase the interval between surgical procedures and decrease the number of procedures per year.
Conclusions: There is still an ongoing discussion within the European Laryngological Society regarding the balance between effectiveness and side effects of RRP adjuvant treatment, but recent results show promising long-term effects. Bevacizumab and cidofovir in aggressive RRP give hope for improved treatment outcomes.
Keywords: adjuvant treatment; bevacizumab; cidofovir; recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.