Training of prescreening cytotechnicians. A report on 10-year experience

Institutional training of prescreening cytotechnicians started in 1972 in the Research Institute of Oncopathology, Budapest. Up to 1983 ten classes, i.e. 230 students have been trained. Authors acknowledge the good achievements of their students and state that the diagnostic reliability of the qualified cytotechnicians has been recognized by professionals. Their activity resulted in a considerably increased number of screenings and recognized cervical cancers. In 1964 merely 25 600 examinations, whereas in 1982 altogether 1 030 000 examinations were performed. Cervical cancers announced in 1978 were 597, but in 1982 this number rose to 1022, being 661 (66%) in stage 0. A so-called Cervix Program based on the activity of cytotechnicians has been initiated by the Hungarian Ministry of Health. In view of the authors' ten-year experience the execution of this enormous enterprise seems possible.