Significance of Endometrial Cells in Cervical Cytology (by Conventional Pap & Manual Liquid Based Cytology) in Abnormal Uterine Bleeding Cases

Abstract

Abnormal uterine bleeding is common gynaecologic complaint. Causes may vary with age, the most worrisome cause is malignancy of endometrium. No widely accepted screening test for endometrial carcinoma exists, but cervical cytology has been found to be of some use in detecting endometrial diseases. Guidelines from the 2001 Bethesda system, in addition to reporting of atypical glandular cells (AGC) and adenocarcinoma, requires the reporting of benign appearing endometrial cells in women aged above 40 years. Smears for cervical cytology are collected from 80 patients in the age group of 20-75 years with complaints of bleeding per vagina. Cyto-histological correlation is attempted in which D&C or hysterectomy specimen is sent. Manual Liquid Based Cytology is strongly advocated as it improves sample quality by removing obscuring factors. Out of 80 abnormal uterine bleeding cases 52 showed endometrial cells (10 atypical glandular cells & 42 benign endometrial cells) & 39 had further diagnostic evaluation of endometrium. The results indicated an association between endometrial cells in cervical cytology with carcinoma in 6 cases(15.4%), 1 case with complex hyperplasia with atypia(0.03%) ,while remaining 84.6% had benign endometrial pathology. Hence we concluded that presence of atypical endometrial cells in all women & benign endometrial cells in post menopausal women(>40yr)has considerable clinical implications & further diagnostic evaluation for endometrial sampling is of utmost importance.