ABSTRACT
Introduction: Cervical cancer is one of the most commonforms of cancer worldwide. In developing countries, cancerof uterine cervix is ranked second with a relative frequency of15% of all cancers in women. Screening women with regularPap smears allows diagnosis of treatable pre-invasive lesions.The objective of the study was to correlate the Pap smeardiagnosis with histopathology and to know the accuracy ofPap smears, so as to assess the efficacy of Pap smears indiagnosing cervical lesions.Material and methods: This two year retrospective study wasdone in the department of Pathology in a tertiary care centre,which includes 250 Pap smears for which histopathologicaldiagnosis was also done. Detailed clinical history of patientswas taken from requisition forms received in cytologydepartment along with Pap smears. The cervical biopsies orhysterectomies received from the same patients were alsostudied and then correlated with the diagnosis of Pap smears.Results: Out of 250 Pap smears, maximum patients (32%)belonged to the age group of 41-50 years and were multipara.Maximum cases were reported as NILM (59%),followedby ASCUS (16%), LSIL (15%), HSIL (7%), squamous cellcarcinoma (1.6%) and 0.8% cases of adenocarcinoma werediagnosed. On histopathology, 41.2% cases were diagnosedas chronic cervicitis, 27.2% cases as chronic cervicitis withsquamous metaplasia, CIN I (22.4%),CIN II (4.0%),CIN III(2.8%), squamous cell carcinoma (1.6%) and (0.8)% casesof adenocarcinoma. Overall sensitivity, specificity, positivepredictive value, negative predictive value and diagnosticaccuracy was 75.24%, 97.98%, 96.20%, 85.38% and 88.8%.Conclusion: As per our study, maximum number of casesdiagnosed on Pap smears correlated on histopathology,thereby concluding that Pap smears have an important role indiagnosis of cervical lesions.