Papanicolaou Smears Are of Little Value in the Post-Treatment Surveillance of Patients with Ovarian Epithelial Cancer

Abstract

275 consecutive patients with ovarian epithelial cancer had routine brush vaginal vault cytology performed as part of routine post-treatment surveillance for recurrent disease screening. No patient with stage I or II disease (75 patients total) developed either recurrent vaginal vault disease or had an abnormal Pap smear indicating recurrent adenocarcinoma or even atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGCUS). Of the 200 patients with stage III or IV disease there were four vaginal vault recurrences (three macroscopic, one microscopic); all of these recurrences had recurrent disease elsewhere and none were detected on the basis of Papanicolaou smear alone. Papanicolaou smear may be safely omitted as part of any post-treatment surveillance protocol for patients with ovarian epithelial cancers.