Papanicolaou Smear screening in Aligarh: A Review of the Cases

ABSTRACT: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer after breast cancer. The risk factors associated with this dreaded yet preventable cancer is age at sexual debut, parity, multiple sexual partners, use of contraceptives and smoking etc. Fortunately, the cervical cancer are preventable because of the early detection of precancerous lesions. This is made possible by the screening procedures routinely in practice such as Pap smear, visual inspection and HPV. Methodology: The study was conducted to evaluate cervical cytological abnormalities, through pap smear reported as inflammatory lesions, precancerous (CIN1/ CIN2/CIN3) and carcinoma in situ, in women who underwent pap smear screening at the hospital. Discussion and Conclusion: This was a prospective study of pap smears received in the cytopathology laboratory from January 2019 to July 2019. A total of 202 Papanicolaou smears were sent to the cytology laboratory during the 6month time period. There were 112 (55.4%) abnormal pap smears (epithelial cell abnormalities, infections and inflammatory smears). 14 (6.9%) smears were inadequate or unsatisfactory for evaluation. 89 (44%) cases had inflammatory changes whereas epithelial abnormality was seen in 23 (11%). These findings corroborate with the fact that Papanicolaou (Pap) test is an important screening tool and is a simple technique to detect precancerous cervical lesions.