title: Prevalence of High-Grade Intraepithelial Neoplasia in Patients with Cytology Presenting Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of histological high-grade lesions and cervical cancer in patients with ASCUS cytology.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional prospective study involving 703 women with a uterus and atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS). The patients were submitted to a colposcopy and underwent a guided biopsy when changes on the colposcopy were detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings revealed 456 (64.9%) women with a normal colposcopy and 247 (35.1%) with colposcopic abnormalities. The biopsy results were: cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 (CIN 1) in 51 (20.6%) patients, CIN 2 in 11 (4.5%) patients, CIN 3 in 8 (3.2%) patients, and a negative result in 177 (71.7%) patients; no cases of cancer were detected. Tallying of 456 normal colposcopies and 177 negative biopsies yielded a total of 90.04% negative exams. Furthermore, around 7.2% (51/703) of the patients exhibited CIN 1, a lesion associated with a high potential for regression. The biopsy results were not associated with patient age or menopausal status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that cytological surveillance of patients with ASCUS is feasible and safe given the low risk of CIN 2/3 or cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Santa Casa de Sx00E3;o Paulo School of Medical Sciences, Sx00E3;o Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Marcos Lopes
authors.forename: Adriana Bittencourt
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Campaner
authors.forename: Laílca Quirino
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Henrique
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D065309:Atypical Squamous Cells of the Cervix / Q000473:pathology*; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D003127:Colposcopy / Q000379:methods; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*