Factors associated with willingness to perform expedited excisional treatment for patients at high risk for cervical precancer

Background

The 2019 ASCCP Risk-Based Management Consensus Guidelines prefer expedited treatment, defined as proceeding to excisional treatment without first performing colposcopic biopsy, for patients with screening results indicating a high risk of cervical precancer. In this mixed methods study, we explored clinician attitudes toward expedited treatment.

Methods

In 2021, a national sample of 671 clinicians who performed colposcopy completed surveys; a subset (n = 41) of clinicians who performed colposcopy and/or directed patient treatment completed qualitative interviews.

Results

Among 671 colposcopists, 25.7 % were currently performing expedited treatment, 50.8% were not currently using expedited treatment but were willing to adopt this change, and 23.6% were not willing to perform expedited treatment. Binomial regression analyses indicated that internal medicine and family medicine clinicians (compared to Obstetrician-Gynecologists), and those practicing in academic medal centers (compared to private practice) had higher odds of currently performing expedited treatment; internal and family medicine clinicians also reported higher odds of being willing to adopt this change. Qualitative interviews highlighted benefits including improved cancer prevention among older patients, reduced loss to follow-up, reduction of time and expense for patients, and allowing shared decision-making. Concerns expressed related to future pregnancy complications, lack of available excisional treatment services (e.g., LEEP), patient preference, avoiding over- and under-treatment, and using biopsy results to plan excisional procedures.

Conclusions

Approximately 25 % of colposcopists are currently performing expedited treatment, and an additional 50 % would be willing to adopt this practice for high-risk patients. Improving access to expedited treatment for appropriate patients could improve cervical cancer prevention.