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Published on: July 21, 2009
Should liquid-based cytology be repeated at the time of colposcopy?
Constance Mao1, Akhila Balasubramanian, Laura A Koutsky
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA. cmao@u.washington.edu
Objective:
To evaluate the usefulness of repeated liquid cytology at the time of colposcopy.
Materials And Methods:
We screened 5,100 women with liquid-based cytology and human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing. Women with any abnormal cytology result including atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or a positive high-risk HPV DNA test result were referred for colposcopy. One thousand three hundred thirty-three women returned for colposcopy with repeated cytology and cervical biopsy.
Results:
Twenty-one women had less than high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) screening cytology and cervical biopsy results; however, their repeated cytology at the colposcopy visit revealed HSIL, and excisional treatment was recommended. Repeated cytology at colposcopy significantly changed the clinical management for 1.6% (21) of 1,333 women.
Conclusions:
As an adjunct test to colposcopy, liquid cytology was similar to conventional cytology. Given current practice patterns, repeated liquid cytology at the time of colposcopy is rarely clinically useful.
