Assessment of cervical cytological data in Albanian females.
BACKGROUND
Cervical cancer is one of the most common female malignancies with high mortality rates in developing countries. Our purpose was to determine the prevalence of cervical cytological abnormalities by cervical cytology (CC) and the analysis of risk factors in Albanian population.


METHODS
A total of 5,416 conventional pap smear tests collected between January 2009 and January 2012 from Tirana University Hospital Obstetrics-Gynecology "Queen Geraldine" were retrospectively analyzed.


RESULTS
A total of 258 (4.8%) cases had epithelial abnormalities. The numbers and rates were as follows: atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance (ASCUS; n=150 [2.76%]); atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGUS; n=8 [0.14%]); low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL; n=87 [1.6%]); high- grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL; n=10 [0.18%]); and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC; n=3 [0.05%]).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of cervical cytological abnormality in our study was 4.8%. A larger community-based study may establish the exact prevalence of malignant and premalignant lesions, so as to plan for future screening.
Institute of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Health Systems, Tirana, Albania E-mail : kkozeta@hotmail.com.
Kozeta
K
Filipi
Anila
A
Xhani
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000415:Albania / Q000453:epidemiology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology