title: Clinical significance of the qualification of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance: An analysis on the basis of histologic diagnoses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to evaluate the significance of further qualification of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance in routine Papanicolaou smears.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective medical records review was conducted on 316 women whose Papanicolaou smears yielded diagnoses of either atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance suggestive of the presence of an intraepithelial lesion or atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance suggestive of a reactive process.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall incidence of a squamous intraepithelial lesion (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades I, II, and III) was higher in the group with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance suggestive of the presence of an intraepithelial lesion than in the group with results suggestive of a reactive process (41.1% vs 22.3%; P =.0344). Women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance suggestive of the presence of an intraepithelial lesion were 9.7 times more likely to have high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III) develop than were women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance suggestive of a reactive process (95% confidence interval, 1.26-74.64). The incidence of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion was higher among women </=35 years old than among women >35 years old (17.8% vs 6.3%; P =.0378).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with a diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance suggestive of the presence of an intraepithelial lesion are more likely to have intraepithelial lesions develop than are those with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance suggestive of a reactive process. Aggressive evaluation of cases of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance suggestive of the presence of an intraepithelial lesion with colposcopy and cervical biopsies may be appropriate. Age should be considered as an independent factor in the plan of management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Vlahos
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Dragisic
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Wallach
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Burroughs
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fluck
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014621:Vagina / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology