Comparison of downstaging, pap smear, colposcopy and colpo-directed biopsy in the detection of cancer cervix

Abstract

Cancer cervix accounts for 80% of female genital cancer and is the most common genital cancer. India accounts for 27% of the incidence all over the world. The mortality due to cancer cervix is 14.7%. To  assess the reliability of downstaging in early detection of the precancerous lesion. To correlate the findings in 110 women with unhealthy cervix by cytology, colposcopy directed biopsies. The work was carried out continuously over one year and 2 months. 110 women were evaluated. When Cytology was compared with Colposcopy, Cytology had only 38.8% sensitivity. Cytology showed higher specificity (98.4%). 95% of the patients with abnormal Cytology had abnormal colposcopy. Colposcopy showed a sensitivity of 96.3% and a specificity of 72.3%. Sensitivity was more than a Pap smear, but specificity was less than  a pap smear. Thus, colposcopy offers an excellent tool for evaluating cervical lesions. It is an easy and perspective method, and its importance lies in teaching, diagnosis and management of cervical lesions, neoplastic and non- neoplastic.