A STUDY ON WOMEN ATTENDING GYNAECOLOGY OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT UNDERGOING PAP SMEAR EXAMINATION AND FOLLOW-UP OF ABNORMAL PAP SMEAR USING COLPOSCOPY

Abstract

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women. In 2018, an estimated 570,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer worldwide and about 311,000 women died from the disease. It is the most common genital cancer among women in India. Pap smear is very useful in detecting abnormal cells and colposcopy locates the abnormal lesion when pap smear is abnormal. The objective of the study is to evaluate the women coming to the Gynaecology Outpatient Department undergoing pap smear and follow-up of abnormal smear using colposcopy. 103 women in the age group of 26-75(50.29+2.56) years who attended the gynecology outpatient department (GOPD)at a tertiary care teaching hospital in central Kerala with various clinical symptoms were screened by pap smear testing over two weeks. The smear was obtained using an Ayre spatula and it was spread over a glass slide which was placed in 95% ethyl alcohol in a coplin Jar. It was then sent to the department of pathology for cytopathological examination followed up using colposcopy and biopsy was done in the cases with abnormal colposcopy. Among these women,46.6 percentage have a normal pap smear 47.6% have an abnormal smear, and 5. 8 % have an atrophic smear. Among abnormal smear 4.8% are ASCUS, 1.9% LSIL, 0.97% SCC, 0.97% high-grade adenocarcinoma, and 37.86% inflammatory smears. As per International guidelines, women with abnormal pap smear tests should undergo colposcopy and those with abnormal colposcopy findings should undergo biopsy. Awareness about cancer should be increased and women should be motivated to undergo screening.