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Lower Anogenital Squamous Terminology (LAST) for HPV-Associated Lesions

Background

Alert

The CAP and ASCCP are committed to keeping this guideline up to date. We are currently monitoring the literature to determine if a revision is needed or if we will reaffirm the recommendations.

The CAP Pathology and Laboratory Quality Center and the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) have released a joint guideline - The LAST Project for HPV-associated Lesions: Background and Consensus Recommendations.

The LAST Project's consensus recommendations provide a standardized diagnostic histopathologic terminology for squamous lesions associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) across lower anogenital tract body sites, including recommendations for the appropriate use of biomarkers to identify and distinguish these lesions.

Implementation of the new consensus recommendations will result in more reliable and reproducible diagnoses based on our current knowledge of the biology of HPV-ultimately leading to more effective patient management and improved patient outcomes.

Physicians will receive more consistent biopsy diagnoses to help assess management options, including conservative follow-up or treatment, and more accurately evaluate a patient's risk of having precancer.

The LAST consensus recommendations are based on an extensive literature review of terminology used historically, how terminology influences management of HPV-associated lesions by body sites, and the role of biomarkers in diagnosis. Thirty-five professional organizations participated in the deliberations, revisions, and final approval of the LAST consensus recommendations.

On June 28, 2012, the final approved recommendations were released online by joint publication in the Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and the Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease.

Guideline Information

  • Guideline status: In review
  • Published online ahead of print: June 28, 2012
  • Originally published: October 2012

Guideline Resources

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