title: [Role of cervical smear in the diagnosis of cervical cancer in Fes-Boulemane region of Morocco].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Cyto-Anatomopathologie, CHU Hassan II, Hôpital Al Ghassani, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Fès, Maroc. sabennis@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bennis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meniar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amarti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bijou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008796:Metrorrhagia / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017749:Total Quality Management; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000209:etiology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data