Atypical .squamous .cells of Uncertain .significance, ASCUS, a category introduced by the Bethesda System of reporting on cervical and vaginal cytology, have fairly well defined cytological criteria for identification but pose a problem to the clinician who has to make decisions regarding subsequent management of a woman whose smear contains these cells. Cytologically the term is restricted to squamous cell changes more severe than those seen in reactive conditions but insufficient for a

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... is of squamous intraepithelial lesion (dysplasia, CIN). All women with this atypia in their smears have to be followed up to determine the outcome and management. This is a preliminary report on the follow-up of 106 women whose first routine smears showed ASCUS.