Case Reports in Clinical Medicine, 2018, 7, 259-268
http://www.scirp.org/journal/crcm
ISSN Online: 2325-7083
ISSN Print: 2325-7075
DOI: 10.4236/crcm.2018.74024 Apr. 18, 2018 259 Case Reports in Clinical Medicine
Cervical Cytology: A Review of 597 Cases in a
Tertiary Health Centre in Nigeria
S. Singh
1*
, D. C. Nnadi
1
, R. F. Anas
1
, I. G. Ango
1
, A. G. Umar
1
, U. Mohammed
2
, Y. K. Mohammed
1
1
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria
2
Department of Histopathology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria
Abstract
Background: Cervical cancer is the most common gynaecological cancer
among women in the developing countries. It is preventable by early detection
and treatment of the precursor lesions. Cervical cytology became the standard
screening test for cervical cancer and premalignant lesions with the introduc-
tion of the Papanicolau (Pap) smear. Aim: to determine the uptake, indica-
tions and results of cervical cytology in a tertiary health center in Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: a 5-year descriptive study of the results of cervical
cytology among women who attended the gynaecological outpatient clinic of
the Hospital. Results: a total of 597 cases of cervical Pap smears were received
at the histopathology department during the study period out of which 20
(3.4%) were inadequate for cytological evaluation. The patients age ranged
from 15 to 80 (mean 38.8 SD = 11.4) years. The average annual uptake of the
Cervical smear was 9.3% of the total number of patients seen in the gynaeco-
logical clinic during the study period and the main indications were routine
medical check-up, 256 (42.9%) and cervicitis 76 (12.7%). About 398 (66.7%)
were normal smears while 152 (26.3%) were abnormal. Non-specific inflam-
matory changes were present in 113 (74.3%) cases. Cytology was positive for
intraepithelial lesions in 6.8% (39/577) cases. Eighteen percent (7/39) of them
were high-grade lesions while squamous cell carcinoma was detected in 12.8%
(5/39) cases. Conclusion: the uptake of cervical cytology of 8.7% is low and
the main indication was routine check up. Premalignant lesions were detected
in 6.8% of cases.
Keywords
Cervical Cytology, Cervical Cancer, Nigeria
1. Introduction
Cervical cancer is the main cancer among women in sub-Saharan Africa, India,
How to cite this paper: Singh, S., Nnadi,
D.C., Anas, R.F., Ango, I.G., Umar, A.G.,
Mohammed, U. and Mohammed, Y.K.
(2018) Cervical Cytology: A Review of 597
Cases in a Tertiary Health Centre in Nige-
ria. Case Reports in Clinical Medicine, 7,
259-268.
https://doi.org/10.4236/crcm.2018.74024
Received: February 18, 2018
Accepted: April 15, 2018
Published: April 18, 2018
Copyright © 2018 by authors and
Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative
Commons Attribution International
License (CC BY 4.0).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Open Access