Atypical Squamous Cells: Cytopathological Findings and Correlation with HPV Genotype and Histopathology.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess potential associations between atypical squamous cell (ASC) subgroups: ASC-US (undetermined significance) and ASC-H (cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion), regarding cytomorphological features, high-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, and histological outcomes in a sample of Brazilian women. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study which evaluated 1,346 liquid-based cytologies between January 2010 and July 2016 with ASC results. ASC-US and ASC-H were analyzed for frequency, diagnostic criteria, and cytological findings and compared with HR-HPV tests and histological outcomes. RESULTS: Enlarged nucleus was the most frequent ASC-US criterion, but alternative criteria were present in 20% of the total cases. No ASC-US criteria were associated with histological outcomes or HR-HPV positivity. Parakeratosis, corneal pearl, giant cells, and binucleation were strongly associated with ASC-US while hyperkeratosis was associated with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) or a superior outcome. HR-HPV was positive in 64.39% of ASC-US and 65.38% of ASC-H. HSIL or superior outcomes also occurred in 13.33% of ASC-US and 64.71% of ASC-H cases. CONCLUSION: Alternative criteria for ASC-US were relatively frequent. Reactive cellular changes suggestive of atypias were more abundant in ASC-US. Although ASC-H is associated with worse histological outcomes, no differences in HPV positivity were found in comparison to ASC-US.

Management of Atypical Squamous Cell Cases: A Prospective Study of Women seen at a Private Health Service in Northeastern Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the management chosen by gynecologists after atypical squamous cells (ASCs) cytology results, and to evaluate the outcomes of these cases in Brazilian women. METHODS: A prospective observational study evaluated the initial management offered by the gynecologist in the case of 2,458 ASCs cytology results collected between January of 2010 and July of 2016. The outcomes of the cytology, high-risk human papilloma virus (HR-HPV) test and histology were compared in two subgroups: atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and atypical squamous cells-cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASC-H). RESULTS: In many cases of ASC-US (36.97%) and ASC-H (40.50%), no clinical actions were taken. Cytology was the most frequent follow-up chosen, including for cases of ASC-H, which goes against the conduct recommended in the national guideline. In women over 30 years of age, the period of time elapsed between an ASC-US result and a new cytology was in 13.03 months, in disagreement with the national guideline recommendations (p < 0.0001). Negative for intraepithelial lesions or malignancy (NILM) cytologic (p = 0.0026) and histologic (p = 0.0017) results in the follow-up were associated with prior ASC-US, while negative results for ASC-H were cytologically (p < 0.0001) and histologically associated with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) (p < 0.0001). Two invasive cervical carcinomas (ICCs) were found in the follow-up for ASC-H, and there was a statistically significant association (p = 0.0341). A positive HR-HPV test was associated with ASC-H (p = 0.0075). CONCLUSION: The data suggest that even for a population of Brazilian women assisted at private clinics, the national guidelines recommendations for ASCs results are not followed.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a conduta adotada por ginecologistas após resultados citológicos apresentando células escamosas atípicas (ASCs) e os desfechos destes casos em mulheres brasileiras. MéTODOS: Um estudo observacional prospectivo avaliou o manejo clínico inicial do ginecologista nos casos de 2.458 resultados citológicos apresentando ASCs coletados entre janeiro de 2010 e julho de 2016. Os respectivos desfechos citológicos, histológicos e de detecção do papilomavírus humano (HPV) foram comparados entre os subgrupos células escamosas atípicas de significado indeterminado (ASC-US) e células escamosas atípicas não podendo excluir lesão intraepitelial de alto grau (ASC-H). RESULTADOS: Nenhuma conduta foi adotada em 36,97% de citologias do tipo ASC-US e 40,5% do tipo ASC-H. A conduta mais escolhida foi a repetição da citologia, inclusive para acompanhamento de ASC-H, o que contraria as diretrizes nacionais. O tempo de realização de uma nova citologia para resultado do tipo ASC-US em mulheres com mais de 30 anos de idade foi de 13,03 meses, também em desacordo com as diretrizes (p < 0,0001). Resultados negativos para lesão intraepitelial ou neoplasia maligna (NILM), tanto citológicos (p = 0,0026) como histológicos (p = 0,0017), foram associados a ASC-US, enquanto que resultados negativos para lesões intraepiteliais escamosas de alto grau (HSILs), citológicos (p < 0,0001) e histológicos, foram associados a ASC-H (p < 0,0001). Dois carcinomas cervicais invasivos foram encontrados durante o acompanhamento para ASC-H e uma associação estatisticamente significante foi estabelecida (p = 0,0341). Um teste de HR-HPV positivo foi associado a ASC-H (p = 0,0075). CONCLUSãO: Os dados sugerem que mesmo para uma população de mulheres brasileiras atendidas em clínicas privadas, as recomendações das diretrizes clínicas nacionais para resultados citológicos apresentando ASCs não são seguidas.

Management of atypical squamous cell cases: A prospective study of women seen at a private health service in northeastern Brazil / Conduta em casos de células escamosas atípicas: um estudo prospectivo de mulheres atendidas pelo serviço de saúde privado no nordeste do Brasil

Abstract Objective To assess the management chosen by gynecologists after atypical squamous cells (ASCs) cytology results, and to evaluate the outcomes of these cases in Brazilian women. Methods A prospective observational study evaluated the initial management offered by the gynecologist in the case of 2,458 ASCs cytology results collected between January of 2010 and July of 2016. The outcomes of the cytology, high-risk human papilloma virus (HR-HPV) test and histology were compared in two subgroups: atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and atypical squamous cells-cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASC-H). Results In many cases of ASC-US (36.97%) and ASC-H (40.50%), no clinical actions were taken. Cytology was the most frequent follow-up chosen, including for cases of ASC-H, which goes against the conduct recommended in the national guideline. In women over 30 years of age, the period of time elapsed between an ASC-US result and a new cytology was in 13.03 months, in disagreement with the national guideline recommendations (p< 0.0001). Negative for intraepithelial lesions or malignancy (NILM) cytologic (p = 0.0026) and histologic (p = 0.0017) results in the follow-up were associated with prior ASC-US, while negative results for ASC-H were cytologically (p< 0.0001) and histologically associated with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) (p< 0.0001). Two invasive cervical carcinomas (ICCs) were found in the follow-up for ASC-H, and there was a statistically significant association (p = 0.0341). A positive HR-HPV test was associated with ASC-H (p = 0.0075). Conclusion The data suggest that even for a population of Brazilian women assisted at private clinics, the national guidelines recommendations for ASCs results are not followed.

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar a conduta adotada por ginecologistas após resultados citológicos apresentando células escamosas atípicas (ASCs) e os desfechos destes casos em mulheres brasileiras. Métodos Um estudo observacional prospectivo avaliou o manejo clínico inicial do ginecologista nos casos de 2.458 resultados citológicos apresentando ASCs coletados entre janeiro de 2010 e julho de 2016. Os respectivos desfechos citológicos, histológicos e de detecção do papilomavírus humano (HPV) foram comparados entre os subgrupos células escamosas atípicas de significado indeterminado (ASC-US) e células escamosas atípicas não podendo excluir lesão intraepitelial de alto grau (ASC-H). Resultados Nenhuma conduta foi adotada em 36,97% de citologias do tipo ASC-US e 40,5% do tipo ASC-H. A conduta mais escolhida foi a repetição da citologia, inclusive para acompanhamento de ASC-H, o que contraria as diretrizes nacionais. O tempo de realização de uma nova citologia para resultado do tipo ASC-US em mulheres com mais de 30 anos de idade foi de 13,03 meses, também em desacordo com as diretrizes (p< 0,0001). Resultados negativos para lesão intraepitelial ou neoplasia maligna (NILM), tanto citológicos (p = 0,0026) como histológicos (p = 0,0017), foram associados a ASC-US, enquanto que resultados negativos para lesões intraepiteliais escamosas de alto grau (HSILs), citológicos (p< 0,0001) e histológicos, foram associados a ASC-H (p< 0,0001). Dois carcinomas cervicais invasivos foram encontrados durante o acompanhamento para ASC-H e uma associação estatisticamente significante foi estabelecida (p = 0,0341). Um teste de HR-HPV positivo foi associado a ASC-H (p = 0,0075). Conclusão Os dados sugerem que mesmo para uma população de mulheres brasileiras atendidas em clínicas privadas, as recomendações das diretrizes clínicas nacionais para resultados citológicos apresentando ASCs não são seguidas.