Postcolposcopy management strategies for women referred with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions or human papillomavirus DNA-positive atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance: a two-year prospective study

Abstract

Objective: This study was undertaken to compare postcolposcopy management strategies for women referred for low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) or oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA-positive atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 1 or less found at initial colposcopy.

Study design: A 2-year prospective follow-up of 1539 women was designed to assess the percentage sensitivity of different postcolposcopy management strategies to detect subsequent CIN grade 2 or 3 and percentage referral to repeat colposcopy.

Results: HPV testing at 12 months was sensitive (92.2%) for detection of CIN grade 2 or 3 with a referral rate to repeat colposcopy of 55.0%. Repeat semiannual cytology with referral to colposcopy at an ASCUS threshold demonstrated similar sensitivity (88.0%) but with a higher rate of referral to colposcopy (63.6%). Combining cytology and HPV testing did not increase sensitivity and hurt specificity. Baseline viral load and colposcopic impression were not helpful.

Conclusion: The most efficient test for identifying women with CIN grade 2 or 3 after colposcopy might be an HPV test alone at 12 months.