Analyses of atypical glandular cells re-defined by the 2006 Bethesda System: histologic outcomes and clinical implication of follow-up management.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the histopathology and the long-term follow-up outcome of women who had atypical glandular cells on Pap smears.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: All women with atypical glandular cells (AGC) who underwent colposcopic and histopathologic evaluation between January 2005 and October 2010 were reviewed. Patient data were examined up to October 2012, allowing for at least two years of follow-up for all patients.

RESULTS: Forty-four women with AGC Pap test underwent histologic follow-up during the study period. Overall, upon reclassification of smears, 35 (79.5%) cases were diagnosed with AGC "not otherwise specified" (NOS) and nine (20.5%) with AGC "favour neoplasia". Seven out of nine patients (77.7%) with AGC "favour neoplasia" had significant pathology. On the other hand, only 11 out of 35 cases (31.4%) with AGC "NOS" had significant pathology. Significant correlation was found between AGC "favour neoplasia" smears and a significant pathology (p: 0.01). Of the 44 patients, 18 (40.9%) had significant pathology. Eight patients (18.2%) had low grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 1), four (9%) had high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2/3), one (2.2%) had microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix, one (2.2%) had cervical adenocarcinoma in situ, one (2.2%) had cervical adenocarcinoma, one (2.2%) had endometrial adenocarcinoma, and two (4.5%) had endometrial hyperplasia.

CONCLUSION: Reporting AGC in the population is clinically significant due to the high prevalence of underlying preinvasive and invasive diseases (40.9%). The subtypes of the AGC category are significant predictor of such lesions.