A comprehensive program for cervical cancer detection and management

The purpose of this study was to document some of the results of a comprehensive provincial cytology and colposcopy program for the year 1988 and also to review the impact on the incidence and mortality rates for a clinical carcinoma of the cervix.This study is a retrospective analysis of the cytologic results of all patients examined provincially in 1988 and a review of the clinical records of patients diagnosed with invasive cancer and those who died of disease.In 1988 490,985 women (40% of all women over the age of 15 in the population) were screened, with 9.2% showing abnormal cells. A total of 79% of women screened were less than 50 years old and accounted for 86.3% of all abnormal smears. Women less than 35 years old were more likely than older women to have moderate dyskaryosis or worse.Intensive comprehensive cytology and colposcopy programs reduce not only the incidence and mortality of clinical carcinoma of the cervix but also rates of in situ disease and other precursors.