Is electrosurgical loop excision with negative margins sufficient treatment for cervical ACIS?

A recent clinical practice guideline supports the conservative management of adenocarcinoma in situ of the cervix (ACIS) diagnosed or suspected before treatment. However, patients may be diagnosed with unsuspected ACIS found in a loop electrosurgical excisional procedure (LEEP) specimen done for squamous dysplasia. To assess the outcome in this group of patients, we retrospectively analyzed all our cases of cervical ACIS and endocervical glandular dysplasia (EGD) to determine if LEEP was sufficient treatment.

A retrospective review of all patients treated for ACIS-EGD from 1990 to 2003 at Kingston General Hospital Colposcopy Clinic was undertaken. Sixty patients were identified.

Of the 60 patients, 31 were diagnosed with ACIS-EGD only from the LEEP specimen. Twenty-two patients had ACIS and nine had EGD. Seven had further surgical procedures (five hysterectomies and two cold knife cone biopsies CKC) for positive LEEP margins. All seven of these specimens were disease free. Three of 31 LEEP patients were not compliant with colposcopic follow up. The remaining 28 patients were followed in our colposcopy clinic or by their family doctor for 6-107 months (median: 42; mean: 51) and have remained free of persistent or recurrent ACIS-EGD.

Colposcopic follow-up with cytology and endocervical curettage (ECC) is acceptable for patients with ACIS-EGD found unexpectantly in LEEP specimens with negative margins. This is an alternative to proceeding to repeat LEEP, cold-knife conization, or simple hysterectomy, especially in patients desiring conservative management or preservation of fertility. Patients with positive margins, however, require further histologic evaluation.