Are significant numbers of abnormal cells lost on the discarded ThinPrep® broom when used for cervical cytology?

Unlabelled: Are significant numbers of abnormal cells lost on the discarded ThinPrep® broom when used for cervical cytology?

Background:   In view of a study with SurePath® showing that cells were lost on the broom if it was discarded, we decided to investigate whether cells were lost on the ThinPrep® (TP) broom, which is discarded according to the manufacturer's protocol.

Aim:   To determine whether significant amounts of cellular material are lost on the discarded TP broom, and whether the loss is operator dependent.

Methods:   Three hundred and six women attending the Guy's Hospital Colposcopy Unit gave their consent for TP liquid-based cytology samples to be taken and the broom immersed in a second vial instead of being discarded.

Invasive cervical cancer audit: why cancers developed in a high-risk population with an organised screening programme.

Objectives: To investigate why invasive cervical cancers developed in a high-risk urban population with an established screening programme and to place cancers in the context of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical glandular intraepithelial neoplasia (CGIN) diagnosed during the same period of time.

Study Design: Observational study of CIN2+ (CGIN, CIN3 and CIN2) and invasive cervical cancer diagnosed at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in 1999-01, 2002-04 and 2005-07 and audit of screening histories of women with invasive cancer analysed according to route to diagnosis, histological type and International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) stage.

Results: There were 133 invasive cancers, 53 CGIN, 1502 CIN3 and 1472 CIN2.

Human papillomavirus testing with conventional Pap smear screening in three inner London community clinics.

Background And Methodology: This observational study aimed to establish prevalence of high-risk human papillomaviruses (hrHPV) in women attending three inner London community clinics for routine screening and to pilot hrHPV testing in the triage of either borderline or negative cytology after previous abnormalities. Hybrid Capture 2 was carried out on brush samples taken alongside conventional smears from 1434 women aged 20-49 years. hrHPV positivity prompted earlier referral of women with previous abnormalities and either low-grade or negative cytology.