ASCCP Clinical Consensus: Screening Recommendations for Clear Cell Adenocarcinomas in People Exposed to DES In Utero

The cohort of diethylstilbestrol (DES)-exposed people is aging, and a substantial fraction have already passed the age of 65, when unexposed average-risk people may exit cervical cancer screening provided they have had adequate prior screening. Current guidelines exclude individuals with a history of in utero exposure to DES. This clinical consensus includes a systematic review of relevant studies and provides updated guidance for surveillance of the aging DES-exposed cohort.

A literature search was performed to find all relevant DES and clear cell adenocarcinoma (CCA) papers that addressed key clinical questions. Study quality was assessed and recommendations were rated on strength (A-E) and quality of evidence (I-III) using the system described for previous American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology consensus guidelines.

DES-exposed patients were 40 times more likely (standardized incidence ratio = 40.9; 95% CI, 13.1-126.2) to develop cervical and vaginal CCAs compared with unexposed individuals, with most cases diagnosed in individuals between the ages of 15 and 31. DES exposure in utero significantly increases the risk of CCA compared with nonexposed people, but the absolute risk of CCA is low. While CCA does seem to occur in older exposed patients, cases were rare and calculated incidence rates were extremely low, with the largest in any of the cohorts at 2.86 per million women-years.

The American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology recommends people with prenatal exposure to DES receive annual screening for CCA with cytology until the age of 65 and discontinue screening beyond the age of 65 provided they otherwise meet criteria for cessation of screening.