What are the recommended follow-up procedures for patients with low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 1) after an abnormal screening resul

For patients with low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 1) after an abnormal screening result, the recommended follow-up procedure is cytology testing at 6, 12, and 24 months if the CIN 1 lesion is incompletely excised or excision status is uncertain.

If the patient tests negative for high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) and cytology is normal during follow-up, they can be safely returned to routine recall.

For those who are hrHPV positive with normal cytology, repeat HPV testing should be done at 12 months; if negative, they can return to routine recall, but if positive at 24 months, referral to colposcopy is recommended.

In asymptomatic patients with low-grade changes and complete excision, no immediate treatment is usually required, and follow-up is based on cytology and HPV testing results.

Patients treated for CIN should have a test of cure with repeat cervical sampling 6 months after treatment, and the colposcopy clinic is responsible for notifying the call and recall service for the next screening due date.

Overall, the follow-up aims to monitor for persistence or progression of disease, given that CIN 1 lesions are morphological correlates of HPV infection and often regress spontaneously.