[Colposcopy and cervical biopsy in patients with routine Papanicolaou smear]

The objective of this report was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of Pap smear and to evaluate if routine colposcopy can improve cervical screening. One hundred and fifty patients undergoing routine cervical cytologic screening in our outpatient clinic were randomly selected. All patients were evaluated by colposcopy and cervical punch biopsy. Pap smears and biopsies specimens were interpreted independently. Colposcopy was performed and interpreted without knowledge of cytologic or histologic findings. The statistical analysis was carried out with a chi square (chi 2) test. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Twenty three patients (15.3%) who had biopsy proved to have cervical pathology. Pap smear identified only 4/23 (17%) of these patients. Colposcopy noted atypical transformation zones in 20/23 (97%), P < 0.001). Fifteen of 27 patients (55.5%) with negative Pap smears had colposcopic anormalities and histologically proved cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). We concluded that it is necessary to improve sensitivity and that colposcopy may enhance cervical screening particularly in women with otherwise negative Papapnicolaou smears.