Revisiting the effect of the Pap test on cervical cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This report documents the effect of not having had a Papanicolaou (Pap) test on survival with uterine cervical squamous carcinoma.


METHODS
Data were derived from Charity Hospital of Louisiana at New Orleans Tumor Registry reports for 1984-1987 and 1996.


RESULTS
During the 5 study years, 101 of 213 women (47%) with invasive carcinoma had not undergone a previous Pap test. From 1984 to 1987, the observed 5-year survival rate for 171 patients with invasive carcinoma was 43%. The observed 5-year rate for 107 patients with carcinoma in situ from 1984 to 1986 was 99%.


CONCLUSIONS
The goal of a yearly Pap test for all women can be approached by a number of different routes, with the use of all health facilities augmented with collection of specimens by trained nonphysician personnel.
Holmquist
N D
ND
Dept of Pathology, Louisiana State University, School of Medicine, New Orleans 70112, USA.
D000328:Adult; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015996:Survival Rate; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*