Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine

Original Articles

Histologic and Cytologic Follow-up in Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance(ASCUS) on Cervical Smears.: Mi Kyung Shin; Korean J Cytopathol. 1998;9(1):29-36.

Abstract PDF: In 1988, The Bethesda System for reporting cervical and vaginal cytologic diagnoses was introduced and this was revised in 1991. The new diagnostic category "atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance(ASCUS)" introduced by The Bethesda System is an area of controversy about the diagnostic category, clinical significance and appropriate treatment. A retrospective 2 years and 9 months study(April,1994-December,1996) was performed to evaluate the significance of reporting ASCUS on cervical smears. Sixtyseven(1.17%) of 5,730 smears were diagnosed as ASCUS and 21 cases were followed by cervical biopsies and/or endocervical curettages in 4 cases(19%), and repeat cervical smears in 17 cases (81%). Tissue diagnoses were benign in 2 cases and squamous cell carcinoma in situ in 2 cases. Cytologic diagnosis of follow up smear were negative in 14 cases (82.4%) and persistent ASCUS in 3 cases(17.6%).

Comparison of Qualified Diagnosis of "Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance" with Subsequent Biopsy .: Jae Soo Koh, Jin Haeng Chung, Seung Sook Lee, Kyung Ja Cho; Korean J Cytopathol. 1999;10(1):1-5.

Abstract PDF: To evaluate whether different qualifications of a cytologic diagnosis of "atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance(ASCUS)" predict a greater or lesser likelihood of tissue diagnosis of uterine cervix, we compared different cytologic qualifications of ASCUS with the tissue diagnosis. One hundred twenty-two con secutive Papanicolaou smears showing ASCUS in women who had undergone cervical biopsy within nearest 30 days were collected. The 122 smears were qualified as "favor reactive"(25%), "favor low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL)"(24%), "favor squamous intraepithelial lesion(SIL)"(16%), "favor high grade squa mous intraepithelial lesion(HSIL)"(16%), and "not otherwise specified"(19%). Squamous intraepithelial or invasive lesion was pathologically confirmed by cervical biopsy in 13% of the "favor reactive", 27% in "favor LSIL", 70% in "favor SIL", 75% in "favor HSIL", and 35% in "not otherwise specified" smears. There were significant asso ciations between the favor reactive smear and the benign biopsy finding and between the favor SIL smear and the biopsy showing a squamous intraepithelial or more severe lesion. Nevertheless, most of favor LSIL smears exhibit reactive process in tissue biopsy. Conclusively, qualified ASCUS stratifies women into different risk groups for SIL. The cytopathologist should make the cytologic diagnosis of "ASCUS, favor LSIL" circumspectly.

Qualification of Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance - "ASCUS, R/O HSIL": Cytologic Features and Histologic Correlation.: Hye Sun Kim, Bock Man Kim, Yee Jung Kim, Hy Sook Kim; Korean J Cytopathol. 2002;13(1):14-20.

Abstract PDF: Cytologic and histopathologic features and human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA detection associated with 101 cervicovaginal smears which are classified as 'atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, rule out high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion(ASCUS, R/O HSIL)' were reviewed and compared to 89 smears of 'ASCUS, not otherwise specified(NOS)' . Cytologic fieatures of ASCUS, R/O HSIL included atypical single small cells(36.6%), hyperchromatic tissue fragments(35.6%), atypical metaplastic cells(18.8%), endometrial cell-like clusters(5.9%), and atypical parakeratotic cells(3.0%). A final diagnosis of HSIL on biopsy was assigned to 47(54.0%) of 87 women with ASCUS, R/O HSIL and to 13(14.6%) of 89 women with ASCUS, NOS ( p=0.000). There was no difference in HPV DNA detection rate between ASCUS, R/O HSIL and ASCUS, NOS smears. These data suggest that subclassification of ASCUS is helpful to manage patients because ASCUS, R/O HSIL is more often associated with an underlying HSIL on biopsy. Therefore, women with ASCUS, rule out HSIL should be actively managed with colposcopic examination.

The Usefulness of Concomitant High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Test and Colposcopy in Combination with the Papanicolaou Test in ASCUS Patients.: Min Kyung Kim, Jin Hee Sohn, Chul Hwan Kim, Jong Sang Choi; Korean J Cytopathol. 2005;16(1):18-24.

Abstract PDF: The objective of this study was to ascertain whether or not the high-risk human papillomavirus(HPV) test, when coupled with Papanicolaou(Pap) smears, would prove useful in the screening and management of patients in whom abnormal Pap smear results had been obtained. Concomitant high-risk HPV detection using the hybrid capture II test and colposcopy with a Pap smear were performed with 176 patients, all of whom had been screened for both cervical carcinoma and precancerous lesions. We concomitantly performed colposcopies on these patients. Upon the follow-ups, the histologic diagnoses of these patients were confirmed via either biopsy or hysterectomy. The rate of high-risk HPV detection was correlated with cytologic diagnoses and colposcopic findings. The group composed of the high-risk HPV-positive ASCUS patients exhibited a 55.7% rate of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN), a significantly higher rate than the 7.5% result obtained in the high-risk HPV- negative ASCUS group. HPV test showed high sensitivity(87%) and low specificity (62.6%) in detection of CIN and colposcopy also showed high sensitivity (88%) and low specificity(22%). Any combination of these tests improve sensitivity, but not specificity. High-risk HPV tests, when coupled with Pap smears, constituted a useful triage approach with regard to colposcopy-directed biopsies in patients in whom a cytologic diagnosis of ASCUS had been rendered.

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