Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance-favour reactive compared to atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance-favour dysplasia: association with cervical intraepithelial lesions and human papillomavirus infection.

Abstract Background and objectives: The current study compared the cervical cytological sub-category “atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance-favour reactive (AFR)”, recently recommended to be eliminated by the Bethesda system, to the sub-category “atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance-favour dysplasia (ASC-US)”, in terms of prevalence of coexistent squamous intraepithelial lesions of either low-grade (LSIL) or high-grade (HSIL) and rate of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Study design: One hundred women with AFR and 100 with ASC-US were consecutively included in the study. All patients underwent colposcopy, followed by biopsy when necessary, and were screen…