Implementing the national invasive cervical cancer audit: correlation between local and regional classification

To determine the accuracy of information recorded regionally and locally on the screening classification of cervical cancer cases using the national invasive cervical cancer audit categories.

Comparison of the audit categorization of all cervical cancer cases diagnosed at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS) between January 2003 and December 2006 with the classification assigned by the West Midlands Cervical Screening Quality Assurance Reference Centre (WMQARC).

Eighty-seven cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed during the three-year study period. There was agreement between the UHNS and WMQARC classification of cases in 52 cases (59.7%), moderate agreement κ = 0.51 (95% CI 0.39-0.63). The greatest disparity was seen in the classification of lapsed attenders, with nine of the 26 cases categorized as 'lapsed' by the UHNS being assigned to the 'lost to follow-up' category by WMQARC. Three cases were deemed unclassifiable by WMQARC using the national classification since the women were over the age of 70 years but had previously been enrolled in the screening programme, and currently there is no national category for these women.

Accurate and consistent classification of invasive cervical cancer cases is essential in order to obtain useful information on the efficiency of the national screening programme at a local, regional and national level. The use of a national algorithm would provide reassurance that all data used in the national evaluation of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme are consistent, meaning that robust conclusions could then be drawn from the data.