Citología en base líquida complementaria en un laboratorio de citología del Programa de Prevención y Control de Cáncer del Cuello Uterino.

BACKGROUND: The superiority of liquid-based cytology over conventional cervical cytology has been controversial, however, one of its advantages is the application of molecular biology tests. OBJECTIVE: To describes the experience of liquid-based cytology after a positive HPV test (reflex liquid-based cytology) in a cytology laboratory of the Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control Program in Mexico. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive study was carried out where the database of the Cytology Laboratory of the General Hospital of León was analyzed. The following variables were collected: age, HPV test, cytological interpretation and histopathological diagnosis. RESULTS: Of 6,564 HPV tests, 919 (14%) were positive for high-risk human papilloma virus, of which 284 (30.1%) had some abnormality of squamous or glandular epithelial cells. The total number of interpretations of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and to a greater degree were 51, of which 14 (27.4%) were positive for virus type 16, 9 (17.6%) for virus type 18 and 28 (55%) for pool of high risk. Of the 284 positive cases, only 33 (11.6%) biopsies were found. The positive predictive value of the reflex liquid-based cytology to detect any cellular abnormality was 90.1%. CONCLUSION: We consider that the reflex liquid-based cytology is a useful and reliable tool for the Program of Prevention and Control of Cervical Cancer in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]