CONDYLOMATOUS LESIONS OF CERVIX AND VAGINA .1. CYTOLOGIC PATTERNS

Abstract

Condylomatous lesions, although readily diagnosed on the vulva, are often missed in the vagina and cervix by clinical examination alone. The lesions are quite common and may be misdiagnosed as mild dysplasia by cytology, colposcopy and even tissue examination. Condylomatous lesions are presently diagnosed on cytologic evidence in nearly 2% of asymptomatic patients screened in this program and followed up by colposcopy and tissue examination, when indicated. The cytologic presentation of these lesions is quite characteristic. The main features are seen in squamous cells: enlargement, binucleation or multinucleation, hyperchromasia, perinuclear clearing, amphophilia and dyskeratotic changes. Present experience indicates that a large number of lesions previously classed as mild dysplasias actually represent various stages of condylomatous lesions. When these stages of viral changes are removed from the group of dysplasias, the remaining cases become of greater significance as the early stages of evolution of carcinoma of the cervix.