Background: Cervical cancer is one of the leading cause of mortality and morbidity among women worldwide. Only few studies are available for cervical epithelial abnormalities, especially in Kanyakumari district. The objective of the study was to find out the prevalence of cervical cytological pattern.
Methods & Materials: A one year retrospective descriptive study was conducted in Department of Pathology of Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences, Kulasekharam to evaluate all the pap smears reported during January 2018 to December 2018. Smears were assessed according to the revised 2014 Bethesda system. A total of 2000 cases were analyzed. Prevalence of epithelial abnormalities was calculated in percentages.
Results: Out of total 2000 patients, Majority of smears were negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILEM). Predominant epithelial cell abnormality was high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (14 cases, 0.7%) Epithelial abnormality was seen totally in (24 cases, 1.2%) population. In this study epithelial abnormality was more prevalent in post-menopausal age group more than 50 year.
Conclusion: Though cervical cancer is a leading cause of death in India, our hospital based study shows a relatively low prevalence which is similar to that of developed world Pap smear testing is a very useful, simple, economical and safe tool to detect preinvasive cervical epithelial lesions. Hence on a routine basis, every woman above the age of 30 must be subjected to Pap smear and this must be continued even in post-menopausal period as most of patients with epithelial abnormalities in our study falls in this group.
