EFFECT OF CERVICITIS ON THE RESULT OF VISUAL INSPECTION WITH ACETIC ACID IN CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING: A REPORT FROM UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

ABSTRACT:

Background: In low resource settings, VIA is used for cervical cancer screening.  There are fears that inflammatory conditions of the cervix might affect the results of VIA.

Objective: This study was carried out to determine the effect of cervicitis on VIA results.

Methodology: Four hundred and sixty one (461) consenting women were recruited and screened for cervical cancer using conventional Pap smear and VIA simultaneously, between March, 2013 and March, 2014 in University of Uyo Teaching Hospital. The results of the two tests were compared using biopsy as the gold standard.

Result: Four hundred and forty nine (449) samples were suitable for statistical analysis. Forty nine women (10.9%) were positive by VIA, while 35 women (7.8%) were detected positive by Pap test. Thirty four 34 women (7.6%) had an inflammatory smear. The distribution of VIA results in relation to Pap test results shows that 20.6 % of the inflammatory smears were detected positive by VIA. Biopsy confirmed all the inflammatory smears as truly negative.

Conclusions: Cervicitis can minimally influence the outcome VIA in cervical cancer screening. But since inflammatory conditions of the cervix are risk factors for cervical cancer, women with positive VIA and obvious discharges suggestive of cervicitis/PID should undergo further evaluation to rule out cervical dysplasia. It is recommended that cervical cancer screening should be part of the protocol in managing women with genital tract infection.