Four important changes have been introduced in the revised guidelines for t
he management of women with abnormal cervical smears, 1998.
1. For the purposes of management, atypical squamous cells of undetermined
significance (ASCUS) and atypical glandular cells of undetermined significa
nce (AGUS) have been included with low grade squamous intraepithelial lesio
ns (LSIL/CIN1/HPV) except where the smear raises the possibility of a high
grade squamous intraepthelial lesion (HSIL) or favours glandular dysplasia,
2. Women with low grade cytological and histological intraepithelial abnorm
alities will, after initial follow-up, revert to three yearly screening.
3. Requirements for those practising colposcopy have been defined.
4. A formal review of all cases of invasive cervical cancer is advocated.