title: Assessment of the accuracy of cytology in women referred for colposcopy and biopsy: the results of a 1 year audit.
abstract: The results of weekly colposcopy review meetings have been audited for 1 year and cases where there was a discrepancy between the referral cervical smear and the initial colposcopy biopsy have been analysed. New referrals (n = 476) for colposcopy were studied. In the final outcome 80% of 326 women referred for moderate or severe dyskaryosis were found to have cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade II or III or invasive carcinoma. Three women found to have invasive carcinoma had been referred for severely dyskaryotic smears. Twenty women were referred for smears with cell changes suggesting glandular neoplasia: five were found to have adenocarcinoma in situ, whereas eight had CIN and seven had negative biopsies. The results justify the referral policy and demonstrate the need for further investigation when initial colposcopic biopsies are negative.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Southampton General Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Contreras-Melendez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Millward-Sadler
authors.forename: I E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Masson
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Camillieri
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shepherd
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001706:Biopsy / Q000592:standards*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003127:Colposcopy / Q000592:standards*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000592:standards*