A Comparison of Conventional Pap Smear and Liquid-Based Cytology for Cervical Cancer Screening

Abstract

Objectives: Early diagnosis and treatment of preinvasive lesions have made cervical cytology one of the most effective methods of cancer screening in industrialized nations, which have seen a sharp decline in the incidence and death of invasive cancer. The aim of this study is to compare liquid-based cytology (LBC) and conventional Pap on cervical smears. Materials and Methods: From July 2018 to June 2022, 600 patients were included in this cross-sectional study, which was done at the Pathology Department of a Tertiary Care Facility in Western Maharashtra. Results: Of the 600 patients, 570 (95%) had good conventional Pap smear (CPS), whereas 30 (5%) had poor ones. Five hundred and ninety-two (98.6%) LBC smears were satisfactory, whereas 8 (1.4%) were unsatisfactory. Endocervical cells were seen in 294 (49%) CPS, whereas 360 (60%) LBC smears showed endocervical cells. The morphology of inflammatory cells was similar in both techniques. Hemorrhagic background was seen in 212 (35%) CPS and 76 (12.6%) LBC smears. Only two samples showed diathetic background, which was seen on both CPS and smear. Out of the satisfactory smears in the case of CPS, 512 (85%) cases were reported as negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM), whereas 58 (9.7%) cases were reported as epithelial cell abnormality. In LBC smears, 526 (87.3%) were reported as NILM, whereas 66 (11%) were reported as epithelial cell abnormality. Organisms were detected in 208 (34%) CPS and 162 (27%) LBC smears. Screening time was 5 ± 1 min for CPS, whereas it was 3 ± 1 min for LBC smear. Conclusion: Mortality will be decreased using LBC on a bigger scale in nations where many smears can be made and screened in a short amount of time, with the provision of doing human papillomavirus-based testing on the remaining sample.

The Role of p16/Ki67 Dual Staining in Cervical Cancer Screening

“…These two methods have been compared in many comparative studies that provided conflicting results [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. In 2008, Arbyn et al published a meta-analysis of eight studies and reported no difference between CC and LBC in terms of sensitivity and specificity for the detection of high-risk lesions [19].…”

Liquid-based cytology screening in Gynecologic oncology

“…From a clinical perspective, the use of LBC can reduce the need for repeat testing due to unsatisfactory samples, leading to faster diagnosis and treatment initiation 32 . The possibility of performing HPV DNA testing and other molecular tests on the same sample can provide a comprehensive understanding of the disease, aiding in personalized patient management 33 .…”

Erratum: A Comparison of Conventional Pap Smear and Liquid-Based Cytology for Cervical Cancer Screening

“…In the article titled “A Comparison of Conventional Pap Smear and Liquid-Based Cytology for Cervical Cancer Screening”, published on pages 77-82, Issue 2, Volume 12 of Gynecology and Minimally Invasive Therapy,[ 1 ] the list of authors and affiliations is incorrectly written as:…”