scholarly journals The cytological component of cervical cancer screening: causes of false negative and false positive results, and ways to avoid them

2021 ◽  
pp. 61-67
Author(s):  
O.A. Burka ◽  
N.F. Lygyrda ◽  
V.V. Kutsovol ◽  
A.V. Svintsitska

Cervical cancer (CC) screening is a major component of secondary prevention of CC and involves screening all women at risk of developing this disease, most of whom are asymptomatic. Cytology remains an important component of CC screening in the era of primary screening by genotyping the human papillomavirus. Papanikolaou staining is the method of choice for CC screening. This review highlights the causes of false negative results for various methods of Pap tests and how they can be prevented. A detailed analysis of conditions accompanied by a high probability of false positive abnormal results of the Pap test, an explanation of the pathophysiological basis of this phenomenon, clinical and cytological criteria for differential diagnosis is also presented.Pap test is a screening test. The aim of the cytological examination in CC screening is to assign the patient to a group with absent neoplastic changes in the cervical epithelium, a group with neoplastic changes in the cervical epithelium present, or a group when it is impossible to make an accurate differential diagnosis between benign reactive changes and neoplasia. The Bethesda Cytology Reporting System is used to unify and standardize these categories in most countries of the world. Benign conditions are a common cause of false positive reports of cellular atypia on cervical screening, as evidenced by a large number of studies. This fact should be taken into account both in the interpretation of the results and, if possible, in the planning of cervical screening. The most common conditions that are accompanied by reactive changes in the cervical epithelium, which can be incorrectly assessed as atypia, are: reactive and reparative inflammatory changes, atrophy, metaplasia, reactive changes caused by intrauterine devices. In this regard, when working with the cytological component of cervical screening, it is important for the clinician to understand the basic principles of assessing the cervical epithelium, which will allow using the descriptive part of the report to determine tactics if a false negative or false positive screening result is suspected.Thus, understanding the impact of common benign conditions on the cervical epithelium makes it possible to rationally plan cytological cervical screening and correctly interpret its results in order to achieve the best clinical results that are not limited to the detection of precancerous conditions.

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte A. Brown ◽  
Johnannes Bogers ◽  
Shaira Sahebali ◽  
Christophe E. Depuydt ◽  
Frans De Prins ◽  
...  

Since the Pap test was introduced in the 1940s, there has been an approximately 70% reduction in the incidence of squamous cell cervical cancers in many developed countries by the application of organized and opportunistic screening programs. The efficacy of the Pap test, however, is hampered by high interobserver variability and high false-negative and false-positive rates. The use of biomarkers has demonstrated the ability to overcome these issues, leading to improved positive predictive value of cervical screening results. In addition, the introduction of HPV primary screening programs will necessitate the use of a follow-up test with high specificity to triage the high number of HPV-positive tests. This paper will focus on protein biomarkers currently available for use in cervical cancer screening, which appear to improve the detection of women at greatest risk for developing cervical cancer, including Ki-67,p16INK4a, BD ProEx C, and Cytoactiv HPV L1.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Fauziah Abdullah ◽  
Michael O’Rorke ◽  
Liam Murray ◽  
Tin Tin Su

Background. Despite the significant burden of cervical cancer, Malaysia like many middle-income countries relies on opportunistic cervical screening as opposed to a more organized population-based program. The aim of this study was to ascertain the effectiveness of a worksite screening initiative upon Papanicolaou smear test (Pap test) uptake among educated working women in Malaysia.Methods. 403 female teachers who never or infrequently attended for a Pap test from 40 public secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur were recruited into a cluster randomized trial conducted between January and November 2010. The intervention group participated in a worksite cervical screening initiative whilst the control group received usual care from the existing cervical screening program. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the impact of the intervention program on Pap smear uptake after 24 weeks of followup.Results. The proportion of women attending for a Pap test was significantly higher in the intervention than in the control group (18.1% versus 10.1%,Pvalue < 0.05) with the worksite screening initiative doubling the Pap smear uptake, adjusted odds ratio 2.44 (95% CI: 1.29–4.62).Conclusion. Worksite health promotion interventions can effectively increase cervical smear uptake rates among eligible workers in middle-income countries. Policy makers and health care providers in these countries should include such interventions in strategies for reducing cervical cancer burden. This trial is registered withIRCT201103186088N1.


2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
L C Chingang ◽  
U Bischof ◽  
G Andall-Brereton ◽  
O Razum

In many middle-income countries with a high incidence of cervical cancer, organized screening programmes with the Pap test are being planned. We assessed the knowledge of, and attitudes towards, cervical screening among 63 doctors and 102 randomly selected community members in Trinidad where screening is still opportunistic. Doctors were well informed about cervical cancer, but not all knew the approximate specificity of the Pap test. Many did not routinely discuss the benefits and disadvantages of screening with their clients. Most women had heard of the Pap test, but only 56% knew its purpose; 25% would not participate in screening, stating reasons such as being in menopause or not having symptoms. More information about the aim of screening and the purpose of the Pap test must be communicated. Doctors need to keep their knowledge on screening up-to-date, and offer counselling that helps women to make an informed decision whether or not to participate in screening.


1990 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 748-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
H B Slotnick ◽  
P Etzell

Abstract This study demonstrates an approach to the problem of minimizing false-negative and false-positive laboratory findings. In this approach, we consider the fact that results of laboratory tests are correlated, utilize within-person test results to interpret current results, and minimize the impact of multivariate conservatism by examining test results in small groups. The procedure requires panels of tests to be divided into related subpanels, testing each subpanel independently, and using the Bonferroni inequality to determine whether any of the observed values for a given subpanel is "out-of-range." The procedure is demonstrated, and its limitations are observed and discussed.


Medicine ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 98 (40) ◽  
pp. e17451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mari Carmen Bernal-Soriano ◽  
Lucy A. Parker ◽  
Maite López-Garrigos ◽  
Ildefonso Hernández-Aguado ◽  
Juan P. Caballero-Romeu ◽  
...  

1989 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 403-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Dodgson ◽  
E.M. Walker ◽  
K.A. Hussein ◽  
A.J. Robertson ◽  
I.D. Duncan

The incidence of cervical carcinoma in younger women is increasing in Tayside despite a decrease in the overall incidence. However, stage for stage, we did not encounter a poorer survival in younger patients. A number of patients had been sterilised or had a pregnancy when cytological screening was available and not made use of. There were also some false negative smears which were reclassified for retrospective analysis. We would recommend cervical screening every three years and careful inspection of the cervix and a smear taken in cases of abnormal gynaecological symptoms such as post coital bleeding.


2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 1289-1293 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Cairns ◽  
N. M. Gray ◽  
M. E. Cruickshank

The psychologic and psychosexual sequelae of cervical screening and disease are well recognized but most research has focused on women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) or women with early (stage IB) to advanced cervical cancer. There has been little work looking at women with microinvasive cancer as a unique clinical identity. Many of these women have a similar diagnostic, treatment, and follow-up pathway to those with high-grade CIN. This could result in unrecognized and ongoing health concerns. We report on a questionnaire-based case–control study, comparing the concerns of women with microinvasive cervical cancer with those of women with high-grade CIN. Women with microinvasive cancer and controls with CIN2/3 diagnosed between 2000 and 2006, from a geographically defined population, were recruited and invited to complete a postal questionnaire consisting of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Process Outcome Specific Measure (POSM). Twenty-eight women diagnosed with microinvasive cancer were identified and 18 participated (response rate 64%). Fifty-eight controls were matched by age and year of treatment with 26 responding (45%). About 18% of women with microinvasive cancer had a HADS depression score of 8 or more, compared to 12% of those with CIN (P= not significant). The HADS anxiety score of 8 or more occurred in 35% of each group. There were no significant differences in terms of POSM results for sexual activity, fertility, and developing cervical cancer in the future between cases and controls. We did not find a difference between women with a previous diagnosis of microinvasive cancer and those with high-grade CIN, in terms of ongoing concerns during their follow-up. We did not identify any additional concerns for women with microinvasive cancer in the care provided in the colposcopy service.


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