Cytological pattern of cervical pap smears in a teaching hospital in southern Nigeria

Background: Cervical cancer, the most common female genital tract malignancy, remains a serious public health problem, particularly in low and middle-income countries where organized screening programs or services are either non-existent or rudimentary. Cervical cancer can be prevented by the detec...

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Main Authors: Abasiattai AA, Nwafor CC, Tobin EA, Utuk NM
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nigerian Medical Association, Akwa Ibom State Branch 2025-07-01
Series:Ibom Medical Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://ojs.ibommedicaljournal.org/ojs/index.php/imjhome/article/view/711
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author Abasiattai AA
Nwafor CC
Tobin EA
Utuk NM
author_facet Abasiattai AA
Nwafor CC
Tobin EA
Utuk NM
author_sort Abasiattai AA
collection DOAJ
description Background: Cervical cancer, the most common female genital tract malignancy, remains a serious public health problem, particularly in low and middle-income countries where organized screening programs or services are either non-existent or rudimentary. Cervical cancer can be prevented by the detection and effective treatment of precursor premalignant cervical lesions. Aim: To determine the prevalence and pattern of cervical cytological abnormalities in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Methods: The results of all cervical smears that were collected and processed at the Pathology Laboratory of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital over 5 years were reviewed. Results: A total of 497 smears were analysed. The majority of the patients were 40-49 years (35.2%). There were cervical cytological abnormalities in 11.1% of the patients, with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LGSIL) (49.1%) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HGSILs) (18.2%) being the most predominant. About 90% of the patients with HGSILs were between 40 and 59 years, while 5.5% of the intraepithelial abnormalities were malignant. Conclusion: The prevalence of cervical epithelial cell abnormalities in our study is relatively high, with most of the women presenting for screening late in their reproductive lives. Our findings reinforce the need for all women in our environment to begin cervical cancer screening early, and underscores the need and importance of establishing a National cervical cancer screening program to enable early detection of premalignant cervical lesions and their prompt treatment.
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spelling doaj-art-5c5536c172c242d0bc775ad348d083c02025-08-20T04:02:01ZengNigerian Medical Association, Akwa Ibom State BranchIbom Medical Journal1597-71882735-99642025-07-0118310.61386/imj.v18i3.711Cytological pattern of cervical pap smears in a teaching hospital in southern NigeriaAbasiattai AA0Nwafor CC1Tobin EA2Utuk NM3Department of Obstetrics/Gynaecology, University of Uyo, NigeriaDepartment of Histopathology, University of Uyo, NigeriaInstitute of Viral and Emergent Pathogens, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, NigeriaDepartment of Obstetrics/Gynaecology, University of Uyo, Nigeria Background: Cervical cancer, the most common female genital tract malignancy, remains a serious public health problem, particularly in low and middle-income countries where organized screening programs or services are either non-existent or rudimentary. Cervical cancer can be prevented by the detection and effective treatment of precursor premalignant cervical lesions. Aim: To determine the prevalence and pattern of cervical cytological abnormalities in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Methods: The results of all cervical smears that were collected and processed at the Pathology Laboratory of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital over 5 years were reviewed. Results: A total of 497 smears were analysed. The majority of the patients were 40-49 years (35.2%). There were cervical cytological abnormalities in 11.1% of the patients, with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LGSIL) (49.1%) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HGSILs) (18.2%) being the most predominant. About 90% of the patients with HGSILs were between 40 and 59 years, while 5.5% of the intraepithelial abnormalities were malignant. Conclusion: The prevalence of cervical epithelial cell abnormalities in our study is relatively high, with most of the women presenting for screening late in their reproductive lives. Our findings reinforce the need for all women in our environment to begin cervical cancer screening early, and underscores the need and importance of establishing a National cervical cancer screening program to enable early detection of premalignant cervical lesions and their prompt treatment. http://ojs.ibommedicaljournal.org/ojs/index.php/imjhome/article/view/711Pap smearcervical screeningintraepithelial lesionabnormal cervical epithelial cellscervical cancerUyo
spellingShingle Abasiattai AA
Nwafor CC
Tobin EA
Utuk NM
Cytological pattern of cervical pap smears in a teaching hospital in southern Nigeria
Ibom Medical Journal
Pap smear
cervical screening
intraepithelial lesion
abnormal cervical epithelial cells
cervical cancer
Uyo
title Cytological pattern of cervical pap smears in a teaching hospital in southern Nigeria
title_full Cytological pattern of cervical pap smears in a teaching hospital in southern Nigeria
title_fullStr Cytological pattern of cervical pap smears in a teaching hospital in southern Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed Cytological pattern of cervical pap smears in a teaching hospital in southern Nigeria
title_short Cytological pattern of cervical pap smears in a teaching hospital in southern Nigeria
title_sort cytological pattern of cervical pap smears in a teaching hospital in southern nigeria
topic Pap smear
cervical screening
intraepithelial lesion
abnormal cervical epithelial cells
cervical cancer
Uyo
url http://ojs.ibommedicaljournal.org/ojs/index.php/imjhome/article/view/711
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AT nwaforcc cytologicalpatternofcervicalpapsmearsinateachinghospitalinsouthernnigeria
AT tobinea cytologicalpatternofcervicalpapsmearsinateachinghospitalinsouthernnigeria
AT utuknm cytologicalpatternofcervicalpapsmearsinateachinghospitalinsouthernnigeria