Is it possible to define a better ASCUS class in cervicovaginal screening? A review of 187 cases.
OBJECTIVE
To try to better define the cytologic diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) in a cervical screening protocol.


METHODS
Smears from 187 patients with cytologic diagnoses of ASCUS and histologic or two years' cytologic/colposcopic follow-up were reviewed. When an ASCUS diagnosis was confirmed, it was done strictly on the basis of the morphologic criteria recommended by the Regione Emilia Romagna Screening Protocol in 1997, trying also to subclassify ASCUS into favor reactive or favor neoplasia.


RESULTS
Seventy ASCUS cases were negative (37.4%). Three cases (1.6%) were low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, and seven (3.8%) were high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion. One hundred seven ASCUS cases (57.2%) were confirmed. Among the 70 negative cases, 36 (51.4%) had reactive changes on biopsy, 30 (42.9%) koilocytosis, 3 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 1) and one CIN not otherwise specified (5.7% total).


CONCLUSIONS
Reclassification of ASCUS cases using tighter criteria reduced them to a rate of 57.2% but missed 30 patients with histologic diagnoses of koilocytosis and 4 with histologic diagnoses of CIN.
Guerrini
L
L
Department of Pathology, Civil Hospital S. Maria delle Croci, Ravenna, Italy.
Sama
D
D
Visani
M
M
Cotignoli
T
T
Sintoni
C
C
Maioli
P
P
Lanzanova
G
G
Schincaglia
P
P
D001706:Biopsy; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears