What is a potential outcome of a false negative in cytology?

A false negative in cytology occurs when the test fails to detect a condition that is actually present, leading to an underdiagnosis of that condition. This outcome is particularly concerning because it may delay necessary treatment and allow the underlying disease to progress. For instance, if cancer cells are present in a sample but are not identified, the patient may miss critical early intervention opportunities, potentially worsening the prognosis.

In contrast, the other choices do not align with the implications of a false negative. Accurately diagnosing benign conditions could happen when the sample shows no malignancy, but this does not address a false negative situation where a malignancy exists but is undetected. Overdiagnosis of cancer would imply that non-existent cancer is being diagnosed, which contradicts the notion of a false negative. Similarly, increased cell yield refers to the quantity of cells obtained in a sample and does not necessarily relate to diagnostic accuracy or the outcome of false negatives. Therefore, the correct answer focuses on underdiagnosis as a direct consequence of a false negative result.