The role of colposcopy and typization of human papillomavirus in further diagnostic proceedings in patients with ASC-US cytological finding of the uterine cervix

Abstract

Background/Aim. Bethesda system of classification of cytological findings was introduced in 2001 two subcategories in the category of atypical squamous cells (ASC) findings: ASC of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and ASC which cannot exclude high-grade intraepithelial lesions (ASC-H). The aim of our study was to assess a possible association of these two subcategories with pathologic biopsy finding and to find out the best further diagnostic proceedings. Methods. At the Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Niš 130 patients with ASC findings were analyzed. Colposcopy was performed in all study participants. Patients with pathological colposcopic findings underwent cervical biopsy. In 10 patients with pathologic histologic and 15 with benign findings human papilloma virus (HPV) typization was done using the Hybrid Capture method. Results. Patients with ASC-H finding had significantly more pathologic biopsies compared with patients with ASC-US finding (57.84: 20.72). Conclusion. Colposcopy was exhibited somewhat higher sensitivity compared to HPV typization (94.7 : 90), but lower sensitivity (79.27 : 86.6). The usage of HPV typization in the triage of patients with ASC cytologic smear induces statistically significant reduction of unnecessary percentage of cervical biopsies.

Keywords

• papillom avirus, human
• uterine cervical neoplasms
• uterine cervical dysplasia
• diagnosis
• vaginal smears
• cytological techniques
• colposcopy