title: Anal cancer screening by modified liquid-based cytology in an HIV clinic.
abstract: This study aimed to screen for anal cancer and to determine its cytomorphology using liquid-based cytology (LBC) with specimens preserved in 95% ethyl alcohol. Anal swabs were collected for cytological examination from 177 adult, HIV-infected patients. After collection, sample slides were reviewed and classified according to their cytomorphology using the modified Bethesda 2001 system. An abnormal anal Pap smear was found in 26.0% of the patients. The diagnoses were: 66.7% negative for intraepithelial lesions (NIL), 14.1% with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US), 10.7% (19) with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), and 1.13% with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). The cytological evaluation was an unsatisfactory result only with 6.67%. The present modified LBC using 95% ethyl alcohol as the preservative could thus be used for anal cancer screening. The number of SILs in Thai HIV-infected patients is lower than that in Western countries. We found anal cytology a satisfactory tool for early screening and detection of anal dysplasia commonly found in high-risk, HIV-infected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kae, Thailand.
authors.forename: Natcha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patarapadungkit
authors.forename: Supinda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koonmee
authors.forename: Emorn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pasatung
authors.forename: Pornrith
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pisuttimarn
authors.forename: Piroon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mootsikapun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000473:pathology*; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol