Abstract
Introduction
Conventional cytodiagnosis (PAP) has been used since the 1950s as a method for cervical cancer (CRC) prevention. Through the PAP smear test, the presence of persistent HPV infection could be proven, which cytopathologists described as the presence of koilocyte changes, a consequence of the nuclear membrane destruction.
The objective
of the present study has been to present the relevance of the conventional PAP smear as a method for the diagnosis of HPV-associated precancerous and cancerous diseases of the cervix.
Materials and Methods
During the period 2019-2021, a retrospective study was carried out covering 128 female patients from Hinkomed MC LTD and Sv. Marina University Multi-Profile Hospital for Active Treatment (UMPHAT) LTD, Pleven. The obtained data were processed with MS Office Excel 2019 software.
Results
The covered group of patients was divided into two, according to the obtained results from the PAP smear test. The first group consisted of 74 patients (57.8%) with PAP I-II results (not signaled – cytologically). HPV-associated disease was diagnosed in 74.5% (38 patients) of them, and cervical inflammation in 13 (25.5%). The second group included 54 female (42.2%) with a PAP IIIa result and a higher group, called cytologically signaled. The study proved that 2 of the cases (3.7%) were false positive, 21 of the cases were true negative. There were 46 true positive cases and 39 false negative cases.
Conclusion
The PAP smear test has been insufficient for the diagnosis of HPV-associated precancerous and/or cancerous diseases of the cervix. As an independent diagnostic method, it has been used only for HPV infection detection.