Histopathological discrepancies between colposcopy-directed biopsy and LEEP-conization observed during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: Long-term exposure to the human papillomavirus (HPV) is a known cause of squamous intraepithelial lesions that lead to cervical cancer. The loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) conization is an established treatment method. According to the latest recommendations, we present a paper to evaluate the effectiveness of various diagnostic methods of squamous intraepithelial lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed 229 patients who reported to District Public Hospital in Poznan to undergo LEEP conization in 2019-2021 during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. The analysis included Pap smear/liquid-based cytology, HPV genotyping, colposcopy with targeted biopsy and LEEP-conization. We offered post-treatment HPV vaccination and, as a follow-up, performed HPV re-genotyping after six months. RESULTS: In total, 89.1% of patients were HPV-positive. The coloscopy-directed biopsy (CDB) results show that almost 70% of the patients had high-grade intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). The diagnosis obtained by LEEP-conization showed that half of the women were diagnosed with HSIL and one-third with the low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). The sensitivity of Pap smear/LBC accounted for 93.7% and was lower than for CDB, which reached 95.1%. Both diagnostic methods tend to underestimate the final diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of a colposcopic examination in an in-depth diagnostic process in women with abnormal Pap smear results facilitates the identification of patients requiring therapeutic intervention. LEEP-conization may be used without the primary biopsy. It applies to multiparous women in the perimenopausal period, extensive abnormalities, discrepancies in test results, extensive visible abnormalities, and suspicion of invasive cervical cancer in the colposcopic examination.

Cervical cancer screening in Poland in current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: Interim guidelines of the Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians and the Polish Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathophysiology - a summary January 2021.

The Polish Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathophysiology (PTKiPSM) together with the Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (PTGiP) issued a final summary of interim guidelines for secondary cervical cancer prevention during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic based on the analysis of the latest directional publications and the authors' own experiences. The aim of the summary is to facilitate the implementation of the most effective possible screening of cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer due to temporary significant limitation of screening as a consequence of the ongoing epidemiological threat. These final guidelines are taking into account the 2020 call of the World Health Organization (WHO) for global epidemiological elimination of cervical cancer. The guidelines supplement the interim guidelines of PTKiPSM and PTGiP announced in March 2020 on the possible deferral of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in patients with abnormal screening tests results in secondary prevention of cervical cancer in current pandemic.

Possible deferral of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for patients with abnormal screening tests results in cervical cancer secondary prevention in current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic Interim guidelines of the Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians and the Polish Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathophysiology.

The Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians and Polish Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathophysiology Interim Guidelines goal at aiding gynecologists in providing a cervical cancer prevention care during the evolving SARS-CoV-2 pan-demic. Presented guidelines were developed on a review of limited data and updated when new relevant publications were revealed. Timing for deferrals of diagnostic-therapeutic procedures were mostly covered in the guidelines. Also, a support for the existing Polish recommendations on abnormal screening results in a subject of minor and major screening abnor-malities terminology were given. The guidelines are obligatory for the specified COVID-19 pandemic period only and they might be changed depending on the new available evidence.