The value of repeated cytology at the time of first colposcopy: a retrospective analysis of 1,087 cases

Papanicolaou tests are often repeated just before the procedure for women who have been referred for colposcopy. The validity and clinical usefulness of this practice, however, is unclear. We retrospectively assessed the value of repeated cytology in a cohort of 1,087 consecutive patients who underwent repeated Papanicolaou testing at first colposcopy. The repeated cytology was considered clinically useful if the results could conceivably have influenced the physician's decision about more invasive diagnostic/therapeutic evaluation based on contemporary practice guidelines. Repeated cytology provided potentially clinically useful information in only a small proportion (3.6%) of the cases analyzed overall, including 41% (26/63) and 1.8% of the high- and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions referral cytology cases, respectively. Our data indicate that repeated cytology provides potentially clinically useful information in only a small percentage of overall cases but a substantial proportion of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion referral cytology cases, suggesting that high-risk referral cytology case subsets can be defined wherein the routine performance of repeated cytology would be most efficacious.