title: Is the correlation between Papanicolaou smear and histopathology results affected by time to colposcopy?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Time to colposcopy (TC) after abnormal Pap smears was evaluated for influence on cytohistologic correlation (CHC).
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study assessed the correlation between TC and CHC of women who had abnormal Pap smears. Colposcopic chart review included participants from 2010- 2013 who attended a colposcopic clinic, Thammasat University Hospital, Thailand.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four hundred and sixty cases who had abnormal Pap smears were recruited. Pap reports were atypical smears with low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL), high grade SIL and cancer at 339, 114 and 7 cases, respectively. One hundred and twenty four patients underwent loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). A half of the cases were colposcopically examined within 1-2 months after abnormal Pap collection. CHC was 88 percent and not affected at all by TC. Subjects who attended cervical cancer screening from affiliated health providers had shorter TC than those screened in our tertiary hospital.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Time to colposcopy with abnormal Pap smears conducted at Thammasat University Hospital had a highest frequency of 42 days, in line with the literature. Length of TC does not affect the correlation between Pap and histopathologic reports. A longer waiting period for colposcopy did not alter progression or regression of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Pathum Thani, Thailand E-mail : k_suwannarurk@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Vorachart
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Meevasana
authors.forename: Komsun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suwannarurk
authors.forename: Athita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chanthasenanont
authors.forename: Chamnan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tanprasertkul
authors.forename: Kornkarn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bhamarapravatana
authors.forename: Junya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pattaraarchachai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology; D003127:Colposcopy / Q000379:methods*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013785:Thailand; D013995:Time; D013997:Time Factors; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult