Cervical Cancer Screening Using Pap Smear Test and Clinical Correlation

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer is a preventable disease of significant public health concern, it is an important cause of mortality in women worldwide. The objective of the study is to evaluate the use of the Pap smear screening method for detection of precancerous lesions. This prospective study was carried out over 4 month, screening of 86 sexually active women who were more than 25 years of age. A clinical examination, an examination per speculum, and a vaginal examination were performed and a history taken for all women. A Pap smear was used for all women to screen for cervical cancer. The smear was obtained using an Ayre spatula and spread over a marked glass slide, which was place in 95% ethyl alcohol and sent to the Department of Pathology for cytopathological examination. Results: The age of study participant was ranged from 26-65 years with mean of 41.7±9.4 year, most women were in the age range of 30–50 years (67%) and more than half were multiparous (54.8%). There was 24.7% post-menopausal. White vaginal discharge (9.3%) and irregular cycle (9.3%) was the most common symptoms, Pap smear test was negative for malignancy in 29%, and 58.8% had infection or inflammation (17% and 41% for mild and severe inflammation respectively). Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and low‑grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), were detected in 12%, and 1%respectively. The abnormal finding was higher in age group 40-60 years, half of women with ASCUS were in age group of 41-50 and 30% in age group of 51-60 years, only one case was diagnosed as LSIL, her age was 52 year. Conclusion: A Pap smear is simple, non-invasive, cost‑effective, and easy to perform for detection of precancerous lesions in a gynaecological patient.