The Clinical Significance and The Optimal Management of Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance in Cervical Smears / 대한산부인과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical significance and the optimal management of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) in Papanicolaou cervical smears. METHOD: This study included 25380 cases of cervical Pap smears received from January 1995 to June 2000 by the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Inha Hospital, Medical College, the Inha University. Retrospective review was done on 384 cases of ASCUS. RESULT: ASCUS and squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) were diagnosed in 384 cases (1.5%), and 311 cases (1.1%), respectively. The ratio of ASCUS to SIL was 1.2. Colposcopic directed biopsies revealed 14 cases (14.1%) of low grade SIL (LSIL), 21 cases (21.2%) of high grade SIL (HSIL), and 2 cases (2.0%) of squamous cell carcinoma. CONCLUSION: The immediate colposcopy with biopsy in women with ASCUS may decrease follow-up visits for Pap testing, reduce patient anxiety, minimize the loss of high risk cases during follow-up and lower medicolegal litigation. The early colposcopy may be the method of choice for follow-up in women with ASCUS in Korea.