Cytological pattern of cervical pap smears in a teaching hospital in southern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer, the most common female genital tract malignancy, remains a serious public health problem, particularly in low and middle-income countries where organized screening programs or services are either non-existent or rudimentary. Cervical cancer can be prevented by the detection and effective treatment of precursor premalignant cervical lesions.

Aim: To determine the prevalence and pattern of cervical cytological abnormalities in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

Methods: The results of all cervical smears that were collected and processed at the Pathology Laboratory of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital over 5 years were reviewed.

Results: A total of 497 smears were analysed. The majority of the patients were 40-49 years (35.2%). There were cervical cytological abnormalities in 11.1% of the patients, with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LGSIL) (49.1%) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HGSILs) (18.2%) being the most predominant. About 90% of the patients with HGSILs were between 40 and 59 years, while 5.5% of the intraepithelial abnormalities were malignant.

Conclusion: The prevalence of cervical epithelial cell abnormalities in our study is relatively high, with most of the women presenting for screening late in their reproductive lives. Our findings reinforce the need for all women in our environment to begin cervical cancer screening early, and underscores the need and importance of establishing a National cervical cancer screening program to enable early detection of premalignant cervical lesions and their prompt treatment.