The Pap test is a successful method of preventing cervical cancer, but it does have significant false negative and false positive rates. The main aim of screening is the detection of precursor lesions, both regression and progression of which may occur, making it difficult to decide upon follow-up and further therapy. Around the world there are many differences, as a far as the frequency of the disease, the organization and economic background of the health care system, the use of different additional diagnostic tools and even the terminology considered. All these factors underline the importance of a consensus on a "minimum level" of obligations to provide appropriate patient management. The screening interval should be two to five years, in some cases even annually. The cytopathologist has an obligation to recommend repeat smears in cases of cytologic abnormalities likely to regress. We recommend the use of standard terminology and stress the importance of a "common language" in cervical cytology. Colposcopy and biopsy are obligatory in cases of HSIL and cancer. We suggest that in severe cases women should be provided with detailed written and verbal information.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Fine needle aspiration of a rheumatoid nodule.

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Aged↗

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A benign serous ovarian cystadenoma studied by chromosome and quantitative DNA analysis.

In a benign serous ovarian cystadenoma studied by chromosome and quantitative DNA analysis, a diploid mode was found in cells from the cystic wall. The cells from the cystic fluid, however, showed both a diploid and a triploid population. The latter may represent a fist step into malignant transformation.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of morphologic features of benign hepatocytes associated with nonmalignant and malignant liver lesions.

In fine needle aspirates (FNAs) of focal liver lesions, the absence of neoplastic cells and presence of hepatocytes with prominent reactive changes often raise the question of whether the lesion was adequately sampled or whether the aspirate represents an area adjacent to the neoplasm. To study this problem we reviewed 51 FNAs of focal liver lesions: 29 metastatic deposits, 4 primary malignancies and 18 nonneoplastic lesions. Fifteen cytologic features were scored on a scale of 0-3 by two independent observers using conventional light microscopy. Hepatocytes in 18 aspirates of nonneoplastic lesions showed considerable degrees of cytoplasmic vacuolation, nuclear enlargement, cytoplasmic pigmentation, binucleation, anisonucleosis and intranuclear inclusions. In contrast, hepatocytes in 29 aspirates of metastatic deposits displayed a considerably lower degree of some of these features (cytoplasmic pigment, binucleation, anisonucleosis and nuclear enlargement.) The four aspirates of hepatocellular carcinoma showed nuclear enlargement of hepatocytes comparable to that in the nonmalignant aspirates; other accompanying features, however, were less conspicuous. We conclude that marked cytologic alterations in hepatocytes are seen most frequently in FNAs of nonneoplastic liver lesions, such as focal nodular hyperplasia, cirrhosis, abscess and hepatitis, and that hepatocytes accompanying metastatic deposits typically show less-pronounced cytologic alterations.

Adenocarcinoma↗