THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ENDOCERVICAL CELLS IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF CERVICAL EPITHELIAL CHANGES

Abstract

A study was made of the relationship of endocervical columnar cells to the cytologic identification of abnormality in the cervix. From a population of women participating in a cervical cancer screening program, a group of women was selected whose smears theoretically should have contained endocervical columnar cells. Endocervical cells were present in 93.1% of the smears and absent in 6.9%. A significantly higher number of moderately and severely atypical epithelial changes was found in smears with endocervical cells as compared with smears without endocervical cells. When endocervical cells are not present, a repeat smear should be taken unless the absence of endocervical columnar cells can be explained satisfactorily.