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Colposcopy and Cervical Biopsy Results in Patients with ASC-US Pap Smears: A Descriptive Study

Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction: Cervical cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers amongst women worldwide. Early detection and appropriate management of cervical abnormalities are essential to prevent disease progression and enable timely treatment. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic findings of colposcopy and cervical biopsy in patients with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) on Pap smear. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, patients with ASC-US Pap smear results who underwent both colposcopy and cervical biopsy between 2019 and 2023 were evaluated. Variables including age, menopausal status, HPV infection, and clinical symptoms were compared across the two diagnostic methods. Result: A total of 400 patients, with a mean age of 37.4 years, were included in the analysis. Most Pap smears were performed before menopause, and high-risk HPV was the most detected type. The most frequent clinical finding was an abnormal cervical appearance. A significant relationship was observed between the type of neoplasia and both age and menopausal status, based on colposcopy and biopsy results. Among women under 50 years of age, 52.5% showed no dysplasia; in those over 50, this rate increased to 87.5%. Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) was the most common type of dysplasia across all age groups. Amongst premenopausal women (90.5% of the cohort), 51.6% had no dysplasia and 39.6% had CIN I. In post-menopausal women (9.5%), 97.3% had no dysplasia, with only one case of CIN I. High-risk HPV accounted for 73% of infections, amongst whom 37% showed no dysplasia. Amongst patients with an abnormal cervical appearance (48.9%), 57.1% had no dysplasia and 21.4% had CIN I. Colposcopy demonstrated a sensitivity of 73% and a specificity of 77.64%. Conclusion: In patients with ASC-US Pap smear results, colposcopic findings related to the severity of dysplasia and type of neoplasia were significantly associated with age and menopausal status. However, no significant associations were found with HPV type or clinical symptoms.
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4414836518
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