Review of triage strategies for atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance among young women

Abstract

In the present study we reviewed the existing literature regarding management approaches for ASC‐US and highlight their pros and cons. The ASC‐US entity emerged from Bethesda classification 2001. We conducted this review using search words ASC‐US triage, ASC‐US management in young women, triage tests for ASC‐US, and ASC‐US outcome from the English literature. We included different cervical cancer policies (American, European and for WHO) and research articles published on ASC‐US in young women from the year 2001. We searched in Google Scholar, PubMed, MEDLINE (NCBI) library, Embase (Elsevier), Wiley online library as well as Cochrane library. We defined young women as aged 30 years and below. We identified 52 articles which focused on management approaches of ASC‐US, seven articles focused on young women aged <30 years. Five of these articles combined ASC‐US with low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (ASC‐US/LSIL) while only two addressed ASC‐US as a standalone entity. The limited number of articles restricts the evidence base supporting the adoption of triage strategies. There is yet, no consensus in the literature regarding the management of ASC‐US, more so in young women below the age of 30 years. Researchers, however, agree on a few aspects, which include the necessity for applying a conservative strategy for managing ASC‐US in young women, avoiding direct referral for colposcopy at the initial detection of ASC‐US, and avoiding the use of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing on young women (unless living with HIV). Newer techniques such as HPV E6/E7 messenger RNA (mRNA), and dual staining p16/ki‐67, may serve as better triage to identify cases of HPV persistence and integration which may subsequently lead to preinvasive or invasive lesions.