title: Evaluation of vaginal cytology in female sex-workers: A study in a tertiary hospital of eastern India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Papanicolaou (Pap) test is an important and easy diagnostic tool to detect any abnormalities on vaginal cytology. Pap test is routinely done in women of reproductive age group in many countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to detect spectrum of abnormalities in female sex workers (FSWs) on vaginal cytology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 60 cases were included over a period of 1 year (July, 2011-June, 2012). The age range of the patients was 14-61 years. Pap stained slides were evaluated by two consultant cytopathologists and reported as normal smear, inflammatory smear, specific infection, low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance (ASCUS), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and atypical glandular cell of undetermined significance (AGUS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the smears were abnormal accounting for 86.7% of total cases (52/60). Incidence of HSIL was very high in FSWs. Out of 60 cases, 8 normal smears (13.3%), 12 inflammatory smears (20%), 3 cases of infections (5%), 9 cases of LSIL (15%), 23 cases of HSIL (38.3%), 2 cases (3.3%) each of ASCUS and SCC and 1 case (1.3%) AGUS were encountered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Close follow-up and histologic examinations are necessary to avoid unnecessary spread of the neoplastic disease and untimely death of the patients. Awareness about diseases in FSWs and diagnostic utility of Pap test are also a must.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Santosh Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mondal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Bijan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Basak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Dipanwita Nag
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Palash Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Simanti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sinha
keywords: Female sex workers; Papanicolaou test; vaginal cytology