The cytological screening turned out effective also for adenocarcinoma: a population-based case-control study in Trento, Italy.
To evaluate the effectiveness of a cytological screening to prevent invasive cervical cancer in the province of Trento, a northern Italian area where a population-based cancer registry is active. The history of Pap test was evaluated through a case-control study in 61 population-based invasive cervical cancer patients, incident during 1995-2000, and in 244 age-matched (between 25 and 75 years old) controls. Women who had at least one Pap test had a reduced risk of invasive carcinoma of 80% (odds ratio=0.20; 95% confidence intervals 0.10-0.40). The protection of a previous Pap test for both squamous cell carcinoma (odds ratio=0.23; 95% confidence intervals 0.09-0.58) and adenocarcinoma (odds ratio=0.24; 95% confidence intervals 0.07-0.78) was similar. The overall protective effect of the Pap test was not seen among younger women (<40 years). The protective effect of the Pap test seems to be stronger for shorter intervals. Our study confirms that Pap-test screening, particularly in middle-aged and older women, is an effective public health intervention with encouraging results also for the prevention of cervical adenocarcinoma.
Crocetti
Emanuele
E
Clinical and Descriptive Epidemiology Unit, Centre for the Study and Prevention of Cancer, Scientific Institute of the Tuscan Region, Florence, Italy. e.crocetti@cspo.it
Battisti
Laura
L
Betta
Alberto
A
Palma
Paolo Dalla
PD
Paci
Eugenio
E
Piffer
Silvano
S
Pojer
Ada
A
Polla
Enzo
E
Zappa
Marco
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011153:Population; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods*