title: Age Specific Cytological Abnormalities in Women Screened for Cervical Cancer in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide, with about 500,000 new cases and 270,000 deaths each year. Globally, it is estimated that over one million women currently have cervical cancer, most of whom have not been diagnosed, or have no access to treatment that could cure them or prolong their lives. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) cervical cancer is the third most common cancer in women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based cross-sectional retrospective survey of cervical smear abnormalities was conducted in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE, from January 2013 to December 2013 by collecting consecutive liquid-based cytology samples from the Department of Pathology at the SKMC Hospital in Abu Dhabi city.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total number of women screened for cervical cancer for the year 2013 at SKMC was 4,593, with 225 (4.89%) abnormal smears. The majority of the abnormal smear results were atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) 114 (2.48%). This study showed 60% increase in the rate of abnormal cervical smears in the UAE over the last 10 years. In this study the highest incidence of high grade abnormalities were seen in women above the age of 61 years (1.73%), this might be due to the fact that this group of women missed the chance of screening of cervical cancer earlier in their lives or could be explained by the well-known second peak of HPV infection seen in many prevalence studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the rate of abnormal cervical smear in the screened Abu Dhabi women is not different from the rate in developed countries. A notable increase in both low and high grade abnormalities has occurred within the last decade.
authors.affiliation: Family Medicine, Ambulatory Healthcare Services, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates E-mail : osman.ortashi@uaeu.ac.ae.
authors.forename: Muna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al Zaabi
authors.forename: Shaikha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Muqbali
authors.forename: Thekra
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Al Sayadi
authors.forename: Suhaila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Ameeri
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Coetsee
authors.forename: Zuhur
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Balayah
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ortashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D065309:Atypical Squamous Cells of the Cervix / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065310:Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions of the Cervix / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000639:trends