Pap Smear Screening Programme for Detection of Abnormal Cervical Cytology

Aim: To find the presence of cervical cancer in Pap smears taken from women of this region (Malakand division). Study design: Descriptive, cross-sectional. Place and duration of study: Study was carried out in the departments of Gynecology and Pathology, Saidu Teaching Hospital, Swat from January 2013 to December 2013. Methodology: It was hospital based study on patients who attended the Out Patient Department of Saidu Teaching Hospital, Swat. Patients presenting with vaginal discharge, dyspareunia, post-coital bleeding and backache or pain hypogastrium were included. Patients having vaginal bleeding other than post-coital were excluded from the study. The smears were analyzed in Pathology department of Saidu Medical College Swat. Results: Three hundred and ninety two patients were included in the study. One hundred and sixty nine (43.1%) patients had complaints of vaginal discharge, 43(11%) post-coital bleeding, 133(33.9%) dyspareunia and 47(12%) backache or pain hypogastrium. Regarding contraception, 41(10.5%) patients were pill users, 48 (12.3%) were on inject able contraceptives, 49(12.5%) were using barrier method of contraception, 55(14%) patients were having an intrauterine contraceptive device and 199 (50.8%) patients were not using any method of contraception. Pap smears revealed that 11 (2.8%) patients were having cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia. Among these, 2(18.2%) had intrauterine contraceptive device, 4(36.4%) were on oral contraceptive pill, while 5(45.5%) were not using any contraceptive method. Two hundred and thirteen (54.3%) patients were having past history of genital infection whereas 179(45.7%) patients had no such history. Conclusion: Cervical intra epithelial neoplasia is not uncommon in our set up. It can be diagnosed early by Pap smears.