Jordan P Reynolds1, Ziyan T Salih2, Ashley L Smith3, Mohammad Dairi3, Ocla J Kigen3, Aziza Nassar4. 1. Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. 2. Department of Pathology, Wake Forest Baptist Hospital, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. 3. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. 4. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida. Electronic address: nassar.aziza@mayo.edu.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Studies investigating histologic follow-up of The 2001 Bethesda System diagnosis of atypical glandular cells (AGC) have focused on various screening methods, patient populations, and Papanicolaou preparations. Our aim was to report the histologic follow-up of AGC diagnoses from ThinPrep slides and evaluate specific cytologic features predicting benign or malignant follow-up results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective search identified liquid-based cervical cytology results interpreted as AGC. AGC diagnoses were stratified into four groups: atypical endometrial cells (AGC-EM); atypical endocervical cells (AGC-EC); AGC, favor neoplastic (AGC-FN); and AGC not otherwise specified (AGC-NOS). Evidence of disease was based on histologic follow-up (biopsy or resection specimen) with a diagnosis of cancer, complex endometrial hyperplasia, or high-grade squamous dysplasia. Available slides were blindly reviewed for specific cytologic features. Statistical analysis compared cytologic factors that would predict benign or malignant follow-up. RESULTS: We interpreted 264 samples as AGC from 2005 through 2009. Of the 246 (93.2%) with follow-up histologic material, 60 (24.4%) were AGC-EM; 36 (14.6%) were AGC-EC; 28 (11.4%) were AGC-FN; and 122 (49.6%) were AGC-NOS. Neoplasia was diagnosed in 80 (32.5%). Neoplastic cases showed significantly increased numbers of single cells, cells in 3-dimensional clusters, engulfed neutrophils, nuclear enlargement, increased nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio, irregular nuclear borders, reniform nuclei, loss of polarity, and macronucleoli. CONCLUSIONS: Cytologic parameters can be used to predict benign from neoplastic glandular lesions. Biopsy follow-up is necessary to correlate cytologic findings when AGC is diagnosed on a Papanicolaou smear.
INTRODUCTION: Studies investigating histologic follow-up of The 2001 Bethesda System diagnosis of atypical glandular cells (AGC) have focused on various screening methods, patient populations, and Papanicolaou preparations. Our aim was to report the histologic follow-up of AGC diagnoses from ThinPrep slides and evaluate specific cytologic features predicting benign or malignant follow-up results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective search identified liquid-based cervical cytology results interpreted as AGC. AGC diagnoses were stratified into four groups: atypical endometrial cells (AGC-EM); atypical endocervical cells (AGC-EC); AGC, favor neoplastic (AGC-FN); and AGC not otherwise specified (AGC-NOS). Evidence of disease was based on histologic follow-up (biopsy or resection specimen) with a diagnosis of cancer, complex endometrial hyperplasia, or high-grade squamous dysplasia. Available slides were blindly reviewed for specific cytologic features. Statistical analysis compared cytologic factors that would predict benign or malignant follow-up. RESULTS: We interpreted 264 samples as AGC from 2005 through 2009. Of the 246 (93.2%) with follow-up histologic material, 60 (24.4%) were AGC-EM; 36 (14.6%) were AGC-EC; 28 (11.4%) were AGC-FN; and 122 (49.6%) were AGC-NOS. Neoplasia was diagnosed in 80 (32.5%). Neoplastic cases showed significantly increased numbers of single cells, cells in 3-dimensional clusters, engulfed neutrophils, nuclear enlargement, increased nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio, irregular nuclear borders, reniform nuclei, loss of polarity, and macronucleoli. CONCLUSIONS: Cytologic parameters can be used to predict benign from neoplastic glandular lesions. Biopsy follow-up is necessary to correlate cytologic findings when AGC is diagnosed on a Papanicolaou smear.