This study was undertaken to evaluate the value of the Papanicolaou smear(Pap smesar) for the screening and detection of the cervical cancer(ca).
274 patients who had cervicovaginal Pap smear and biopsy of the cervix were analysed at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Ewha Womans University Hospital from the Jan. 1988 to Dec. 1991.
The results were as follows;
1) The highest frequency was noted in the age group of the thirties(34.3%) followed by the age group of forties(30.3%) and the frequency of the age group of the fifties was 20.4%.
2) Six patients with Pap smear Class I showed ca in situ in 4 patients and invasive ca in 2 patients by histopathological study.
72% of the patients with Pap smear Class II had chronic inflammation and the rest of the patients had mild dysplasia(1 case), severe dysplasia(1 case), ca in situ(l case), and invasive ca(7 cases) by histopathological study.
73.2% of the patients with Pap smear Class III had the findings of dysplasia and the rest of the patients had those of chronic inflammation(9 cases). ca in situ(13 cases). microinvasive ca(3 cases), and invasive ca(5 cases).
70.0% of the patients with Pap smear Class IV had the findings of ca in situ. microinvasive ca, and invasive ca and the patients with severe dysplasia, ca in situ. microinvasive ca, and invasive ca consisted 90.0% of the patients with Pap smear Class IV.
90.0% of the patients with Pap smear Class V had ca in situ. microinvasive ca, and invasive ca in biopsy.
3) The sensitivity and positive predictive value for the Pap smear screening was 93.2%, and 94.0% respectively.
These data show that the Pap smear is essential for the screening and early detection of cervical cancer and we should reduce the failure occurring during the serial process such as sampling, fixation, staining, and interpretation.
