Use of p16-INK4A overexpression to increase the specificity of human papillomavirus testing: a nested substudy of the NTCC randomised controlled trial.

Background: Human-papillomavirus (HPV) testing is more sensitive, but less specific, than conventional cytology for detecting high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). We assessed whether HPV testing with triage by p16-INK4A overexpression can increase specificity while maintaining sensitivity.

Methods: HPV-positive women were enrolled between June 10, 2003, and Dec 31, 2004 in a multicentre randomised controlled trial, which compared stand-alone HPV testing by Hybrid Capture 2 (experimental group) with conventional cytology, were referred for colposcopy.

Accuracy of liquid based versus conventional cytology: overall results of new technologies for cervical cancer screening: randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To compare the accuracy of conventional cytology with liquid based cytology for primary screening of cervical cancer.

Design: Randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Nine screening programmes in Italy.

Is it possible to define a better ASCUS class in cervicovaginal screening? A review of 187 cases.

Objective: To try to better define the cytologic diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) in a cervical screening protocol.

Study Design: Smears from 187 patients with cytologic diagnoses of ASCUS and histologic or two years' cytologic/colposcopic follow-up were reviewed. When an ASCUS diagnosis was confirmed, it was done strictly on the basis of the morphologic criteria recommended by the Regione Emilia Romagna Screening Protocol in 1997, trying also to subclassify ASCUS into favor reactive or favor neoplasia.

External quality assurance in cervical/vaginal cytology: Interlaboratory agreement in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic agreement between seven cervical/vaginal cytology laboratories participating in the first external quality assurance (EQA) scheme developed in Italy.

Study Design: Between 1991 and 1993, 110 cytologic smears were selected and classified by a committee and circulated and reported on by the laboratories according to the 1988 Bethesda System. Agreement was evaluated with the kappa statistic.

Intralaboratory reproducibility of cervical cytology diagnoses in the external quality assurance scheme of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.

In an external quality assurance (EQA) scheme, 110 selected cervical smears were independently reported by seven cytology laboratories using the 1988 Bethesda System. In one of these, a random sample of 60 study smears was independently classified by five cytologists before undergoing joint examination according to EQA protocol. Internal agreement (i.