[Cervical smears among women after 65 years. One-year retrospective descriptive study]

The recommendations of the French consensus (Lille 1990) advise the stop of the tracking by cervical smears of cancer at 65-years-old, if the former follow-up were regular and if the last two smears were normal. 33% cervical cancers are after 65-years-old.

How many pathological smears are after 65 years?

Descriptive, retrospective study analyzing the results of 12339 smears of women of more than 65 years, carried out during one year in the same laboratory of anatomo-pathology. They were analysed with Bethesda's system.

2.67% of smears are of insufficient quality (CI 95%: 2, 46%; 3%); 2.43% of smears are pathological (CI 95%: 2, 2%; 2, 7%). That pathological smear's rate is comparable to the one found among women of less than 65-years-old (2 to 3%). The squamous cell carcinoma's rate is more important in this group.

This work encourages us to continue smear's practice among women of more than 65 years.