Pattern of cervical pap smear cytology in a tertiary care hospital in northern India

Abstract

Mortality due to cervical cancer can be reduced by early detection of the premalignant lesion of cervix using pap smear screening. Uterine cervix is ideal for screening due to easy accessibility for exfoliative cytology or pap smear test.Objective: To estimate frequency ofnon-neoplastic lesions, premalignant lesions and carcinoma cervix in patients presented with different clinical features in Gynaecology outpatient department. Materials and methods- This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Cervical smears of patients (≥21 years) were studied in study duration of one year. Conventional Pap smears examined and interpretations noted. Results- Total 1969 cases with satisfactory smears (according to Bethesda system of reporting) were studied, 1880 cases (95.48%) showed benign and inflammatory lesion, while 89 cases (4.52%) were showing epithelial lesion (premalignant and malignant lesion). Among epithelial lesions, atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) were most common(1.92%), followed by Low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion(LSIL)(1.06%), High grade squamous intraepithelial lesion(HSIL) (0.71%) and Squamous cell carcinoma(SCC)(0.40%) respectively. Conclusion- Cervical cancer is leading cause of cancer deaths among women. But also preventable through routine screening by pap smear test. Pap smear test is a cost-effective screening method and can be performed at primary health centre level.