Endocervical and metaplastic cells: comparison of endocervical and metaplastic cell number in Papanicolaou smears with and without squamous intraepithelial lesion

OBJECTIVE: To compare, with a retrospective study, endocervical and metaplastic cell number to identify the cytology of squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) of the cervix. STUDY DESIGN: Cytology files from March 2000 to March 2003 were reevaluated, and those with SIL were identified. RESULTS: In 8,743 cervicovaginal smears were found 70 (0.8%) SIL smears (39 low grade, 31 high grade) and 140 randomly selected smears without squamous or glandular abnormalities that were not atrophic or unsatisfactory. Endocervical and metaplastic cells counted in these smears and then classified into 5 groups were compared with each other. CONCLUSION: Women with smears containing endocervical cells are not at greater risk for SIL than those with smears lacking these cells. Women with smears containing metaplastic cells are more likely to have SIL than those without metaplastic cells. In addition, high grade lesions are more likely in smears containing more metaplastic cells.