Cytologic features of squamous cell carcinoma in conventional smears: comparison of cases that performed poorly with those that performed well in the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in cervicovaginal cytology.
BACKGROUND
Characteristic cytologic features have been identified that distinguish cases that are always identified from those that are sometimes missed in the College of American Pathologists Gynecologic Cytology Program for a variety of different lesions and preparations.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the cytologic features of cases of squamous cell carcinoma in conventional smears that perform poorly and well.


METHODS
The cytologic features of 8 conventional smear cases of squamous cell carcinoma that performed poorly in the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program were compared with 17 cases that performed extremely well.


RESULTS
A total of 2387 individual interpretations were recorded. Of the 86 incorrect responses, 6.2% were for repair, and 0.8% were for Trichomonas. Cases that performed well were significantly more likely to have greater than 1000 dysplastic cells (16/17 vs 4/8, P = .02) and be keratinized (13/17 vs 1/8, P = .007). Obscuring inflammation and cell size were not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Conventional smears with a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma that were always identified were significantly more likely to have greater than 1000 cells and be keratinized than cases that performed poorly.
Renshaw
Andrew A
AA
Department of Pathology, Baptist Hospital of Miami, Miami, FL 33176-2197, USA. andrewr@bhssf.org
Henry
Michael R
MR
Birdsong
George G
GG
Wang
Edward
E
Haja
Jennifer
J
Hughes
Jonathan H
JH
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009656:North America; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011786:Quality Control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012955:Societies, Medical; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000145:classification / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*