Table 1.

Diagnostic Evaluation Protocol for Determining Appropriateness of Care for Women with Abnormal Cervical Cytology*

Pap test result	Optimal care	Suboptimal care	Poor care
SCC and adenocarcinoma†	Histology specimen within 1 mo	Histology specimen within 1–3 mo	Histology specimen >3 mo or only cytology specimen
HSIL and AGUS†	Histology specimen within 3 mo	Histology specimen within 3–6 mo	Histology specimen >6 mo or only cytology specimen
LSIL and ASCUS‡	Histology specimen within 6 mo or serial Pap tests every 3–6 mo times 2	Histology specimen within 6–9 mo or serial Pap tests 6–9 mo apart times 2	Histology specimen >9 mo or serial Pap tests <3 mo or >9 mo apart
Unsatisfactory	Pap test or histology specimen within 12 mo	Pap test or histology specimen within 12–18 mo	Pap test or histology specimen >18 mo

*Based on guidelines published by National Cancer Institute and expert opinion

^†For adenocarcinoma and AGUS, endometrial biopsies were considered acceptable histology follow-up.

^‡If either follow-up Pap test was abnormal, histological evidence of colposcopy was expected.