Cervical Cancer screening in a tertiary care centre by Pap smear and its clinical correlation

Abstract

Introduction: Cervical cancer is one of the common cancers in women and is a major public health problem all over the world. It has significant contribution to high mortality and morbidity. Preinvasive lesions spontaneously regress to normal, remain stable for a long time or progress to higher degree of dysplasia followed by carcinoma cervix.

Materials and Method This was a hospital based retrospective study where 456 patients’ records were reviewed. Pap smear was used as the screening tool for the detection of precancerous lesion among the women visiting Western Regional Hospital (WRH), Department of obstetrics and gynecology.

Results: Among 456 patients screened, most of them were in the age group of 30-39 years (42.8%) and were of parity 3 (42.8%). Most of them had no risk factors for carcinoma cervix (54.4%). Early marriage accounted for the highest risk of developing precancerous lesion (32.7%). There were no carcinoma detected by Pap smear. The test was negative in 68.9%, Low-grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion (LSIL) was detected in 5.9% and 2.9% had High-grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion (HSIL). Pap smear was sent for screening purpose in asymptomatic women (37.1%) and among the symptomatic patients vaginal discharge was the most common indication of pap test (34.6%).

Conclusion: A Pap smear is reliable, simple, non-invasive, cost effective, and easy screening tool for detection of precancerous lesions in a woman.