ABSTRACT

AIM:

Cytological evaluation carries a great significance for the early detection and treatment of invasive cervical carcinoma precursors. Pap-smear test are considered as a quite effective screening method for this purpose. This screening can be easily performed at the first step health care centers without causing an economic burden if only selected patients were referred to second and third step medical care centers. In this program we aimed to perform a cross-sectional survey for cervix cancer in Trabzon center and surrounding area using cervical smears obtained at first step health care centers.

MATERIAL-METHOD:

A total number of 3000 cases with an age range of 25-64 were screened between March and May of 2007. This program was supported by USIDER. Smears obtained with cytological brushes were prepared with conventional methods and stained with Papanicolaou dye. Pap smears were reviewed by two pathologists according to 2001 Bethesda classification.

RESULTS:

A great majority of the smears (93.3 %) were found to be satisfactory, while only 6.7 were found to be insufficient. Analysis of satisfactory cervical smears revealed cervical epithelial cell anomalies in 73 cases (2.4%); of these cases 57 (1.9%) had atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance (ASC-US), 11 (0.4 %) had low grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion (LSIL), 3 (0.1%) high grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion (HSIL), and 2 (0.07 %) had squamous cell carcinoma.

CONCLUSION:

Smears obtained at the first step health care centers were found to be satisfactory in a major proportion of the cases. Screening programs play a great role in the declining of cancer incidence. These screening programs should be included in national health politics. First step health care centers might be used for this purpose concerning the health economics.