Cervical Cytology Screening in the Computer Age

Globally, lack of both access to screening and personnel to interpret cervical cytology impede efforts to fight cervical cancer. Investigators in California evaluated testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16, 18, and 45 combined with either standard cytologic interpretation or an automated algorithm to triage women to colposcopy or low-risk status.

Among 1839 HPV-positive women with a median 3.7 years' follow-up to ascertain outcomes, HPV typing with computer-read cytology versus standard cytologic interpretation yielded referral rates of 92% versus 89% for HPV-related cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 3 or worse. In a general population of >200,000 women, algorithm scores correlated closely with cytopathologic interpretation.