Do Atypia in a Cervical Smear Warrant Colposcopy?

Abstract

SummaryIn 1988. 72 patients with ‘atypia’ alone on a cervical smear were referred to the colposcopy clinic. Colposcopy was abnormal in 56 patients (78 per cent); 49 of the 56 (69 per cent) had cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN). Twenty-four of the 49 patients with CIN had dyskaryosis reported on the colposcopically directed smear.The patients’ smear history was only of limited value in predicting the risk of CIN. When the smear repeated at the time of colposcopy was normal. 19 out of 38 patients had CIN. Cytological surveillance alone was inadequate in patients in whom cytological atypia have been found on a cervical smear. These patients should have colposcopic evaluation.