Accuracy of physician and nurse practitioner colposcopy to effect improved surveillance of cervical cancer.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To compare physician and nurse practitioner accuracy in recognizing cervical dysplasia during colposcopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of cervical excisional biopsies from 2007 to 2009 performed by gynecologists and nurse practitioners in the same patient population. Cervical cone biopsy and loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) pathology were used as a gold standard compared to the previous colposcopy biopsies. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty-five patients qualified for the study. Patients were stratified according to age under 30 years, 30-39, and 40 and above. For physicians, 77% of high-grade colposcopy biopsy results agreed with high-grade pathology on cone biopsy or LEEP. This was statistically similar to nurse practitioner results (p = 0.12). Likewise, there was no significant difference between physician and nurse practitioner accuracy within the various patient age strata. CONCLUSION: Colposcopy biopsy results compared to cone biopsy or LEEP results were statistically similar between gynecologists and nurse practitioners.