Screening for cervical cancer as an organized or opportunistic challenge

Abstract

Pap test is already part of the successful examinations in the early detection of cervical cancer. The objective of this 1-year retrospective study (2019-2020), is to assess the importance of periodic Pap tests, the distribution of squamous and glandular anomalies, as well as determining the predominant categories for each anomaly, in 4123 cases of Hygeia hospital, in Albania. The age group 60- 69 years was with the most anomalies. 72.8% of women included in the study tested negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy. There was an increase in the positive percentage of Pap tests with epithelial cell abnormalities with increasing age group up to the age of 70 years (p <0.001). With epithelial cell abnormalities 97.7% of them were of squamous origin (ASC-US 86.2%) and 2.3% of them were of glandular origin. The Pap test should be a routine test for all sexually active young women, for early precancerous detection of the cervix. It is a valid, inexpensive, uncomplicated, noninvasive screening test for the detection of premalignant and malignant lesions of the cervix7 . The American Cancer Society recommends that all women should begin screening for cervical cancer 3 years after the onset of coitus.