Adolescents with abnormal cervical cytology

Cytology screening is an important diagnostic tool to detect precancerous and cancerous lesions of the uterine cervix. Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) represents a continuum of neoplastic alterations, from mild dysplasia to carcinoma in situ. Our high incidence of 32/1,000 adolescent girls with abnormal cervical cytology, suggestive of CIN, supports studies showing that major cervical pathology does exist in this age group. The importance of this problem, previous experiences, reliability of screening, management, and associated risk factors are reviewed. We advocate that the sexually active older adolescent, 18 to 21, have PAP smears at least yearly. It is also our feelings that sexually active adolescent under 18 should have annual PAP smears, even though our studies revealed a paucity of significantly abnormal findings in this age group.