Biomedical Science Letters (대한의생명과학회지)

The Korean Society for Biomedical Laboratory Sciences (대한의생명과학회)
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Usefulness of p16INK4a Immunocytochemical staining for the Differentiation between Atrophy and ASCUS in Diagnosis of Uterine Cervical Cancer

  • Hye Ryoung Shin (Department of Smart Foods and Drugs Graduate School, Inje University) ;
  • Taekil Eom (Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Inje University) ;
  • Wan-Su Choi (Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Inje University)
  • Received : 2023.09.06
  • Accepted : 2023.09.22
  • Published : 2023.09.30
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Abstract

A Pap smear is the most important screening test for the diagnosis of cervical cancer. However, subjective judgment by the operator cannot be excluded, and replicability may greatly be reduced if uncertain specimens are examined. Examiners often experience difficulties in differentiating atrophy with inflammatory changes and ASCUS when diagnosing squamous epithelial lesions from a pap smear. Reports often vary between cytologists and pathologists, and misdiagnosis may result in delayed follow-ups and advanced diseases. Hence, auxiliary examinations are necessary when confusing results between atrophy and ASCUS are obtained. The importance of p16INK4a activation due to HPV infection, which is an important factor in the outbreak of cervical cancer, has been highlighted. Recent studies have reported that p16INK4a immunocytochemical staining and HPV high-risk type tests using liquid-based cervical specimens are effective to detect the presence of lesions of grade HSIL or higher in patients with ASC-H. However, no research exists on the utility of HPV and p16INK4a tests on the differential diagnosis of atrophy and ASCUS. This study focused on whether p16INK4a immunocytochemical staining and HPV tests can help diagnose borderline lesions between atrophy and ASCUS. The results reported that p16INK4a activation can significantly (P<0.001) differentiate atrophy from ASCUS in atrophic lesions infected with High risk-HPV. Therefore, it may be concluded that p16INK4a immunocytochemical staining is an effective auxiliary test in lesions infected with HR-HPV when atrophic lesions are difficult to differentiate by morphology. Such results are expected to help decide on adequate follow-up and treatment.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (NRF-2020R1C1C1003718, RS-2023-00264369 and RS-2023-00211284).

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