Open AccessRole of cervical smear in the diagnosis of cervical cancer in Fes-Boulemane region of Morocco
Author(s) -
S. Bennis,
S. Meniar,
A. Amarti,
A. Bijou
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/2007.13.5.1153
Subject(s) - medicine , cervical cancer , incidence (geometry) , cervicitis , cervical intraepithelial neoplasia , gynecology , cervical screening , retrospective cohort study , obstetrics , cervical cancer screening , cancer , surgery , physics , optics
A retrospective study was conducted between 2000 and 2003 on 1620 women (mean age 39.6 years) in northern Morocco to determine the incidence of cervical cancer and assess the value of cervical smear in the diagnosis. Patients were interviewed using a questionnaire before carrying out a gynaecological examination and taking a cervical smear sample. Of the total sample, 23.1% had an abnormal cervical smear, of whom 5.6% showed intraepithelial lesions, both low and high grade. The women presenting with cervicitis represented the highest percentage with suspect smears (30.8%); 90.9% of the smears showing high grade lesions were histologically confirmed as cervical cancer. A screening programme is a matter of urgency in northern Morocco.