CERVICAL SCREENING - MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS REFERRED FOR COLPOSCOPY WITH SMEAR ABNORMALITIES LESS SEVERE THAN DYSKARYOSIS

The cervical smear and biopsy results were reviewed for 141 patients w ho were referred for colposcopy with either a technically unsuitable s mear or with cervical smear abnormalities less severe than dyskaryosis . The number of referrals due to minor smear abnormalities more than d oubled from 8.6% to 22.3% of the total colposcopy referrals over the 4 year period studied. The minor smear abnormalities were only associat ed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in patients aged <50 years. In 19 (13.5%) of the 141 patients high-grade lesions (CIN II or CIN III) were diagnosed. There were no cases of invasive cancer. Furt hermore, the increased number of patients being referred for colposcop y with minor cervical smear abnormalities highlights the increasing pr essures on colposcopy services, with prolonged waiting times for all p atients.