Cervical cancer screening by simple visual inspection after acetic acid

Abstract

Background: Naked-eye visual inspection of the cervix with acetic-acid wash (VIA), or cervicoscopy, is an alternative to cytology in screening for cervical cancer in poorly resourced locations. Aims: This study were to determine whether visualization of cervix after acetic acid can identify early cancer, and to detect lesions in symptom free women. Results: In present study mean age of cancer cervix is 35-39 yrs. Low socio-economic status, early age of marriage, early age at first child birth, high parity was associated with cervical cancer. Patients who had erosions, leukoplakia or unhealthy cervix should take as high-risk group and subject to screening procedures. 26.8% patients with healthy cervix had positive acetowhite areas and were proven for cervical cancer by biopsy. Most common symptom with which the patients presented were white discharge per vagina, menorrhagia. These symptoms correlated with the associated cervical cancer in 90% of cases. All patients with positive biopsy showed acetowhite areas. Conclusion: All the patients with acetic acid positive areas should be subjected to colposcopy and biopsy before treating them directly to avoid false positive cases, since biopsy is the gold standard.