[Cytologic follow-up examination of patients with a suspicious Papanicoaou type 3D smear (author's transl)].

The cytological differential diagnosis "dysplasia" was made in 176 cases between January 1968 and June 1975. An immediate microscopic diagnosis was possible in 18 cases (10.22%). 14 cases eluded further follow-up. In 144 cases, long term observation was carried out. In some cases up to 6 years. Cytological regression to a permanently negative smear occurred in 57 patients (39.58%). A microscopic confirmation of the diagnosis was not obtained in these patients. In cytologically persistent cases microscopic confirmation was obtained after varying times of observation. The cytological differential diagnosis was correct in comparison to the histologic findings in 82.6% of the cases. 62 cases of the total (43.05%) showed cytological persistence of the suspicious smear. A cytological progression became apparent in 25 cases (17.36%) and was always subjected to microscopic confirmation by cone biopsy or primary hysterectomy. In 71 cases with microscopic confirmation persistent dysplasia was found in 64.78% of the cases and a progression occurred in 30.98% of the cases. 21.12% showed carcinoma in situ, 7.04% (5) cases showed a microinvasive carcinoma and 2 cases (2.82%) showed an invasive carcinoma. Cervical dysplasias are apparently capable of regression in a large number of cases. However about 10% of the cases will show progression to a micro-invasive or invasive carcinoma after varying lengths of time. In order to avoid unnecessary operations and to improve our knowledge on the biology of dysplasias, observation with cytological diagnosis dysplasia (Papanicolaou 3D) is justified.