EARLY DETECTION OF CERVICAL CANCER: PAP SMEAR or COLPOSCOPY

Cancer cervix is the 2nd most common cancer in women accounting for 68.5% of all gynecological malignancies.The estimated new cancer cervix cases per year are 500,000 of which 79% occur in the developing countries.Cervical dysplasia does not cause many symptoms;therefore, regular screening and early diagnosis are important. The single most important step that a woman can take to prevent cervical cancer is a pap smear, which is a gentle scraping at the cervix during a gynecological examination.To judge the merits of a pap smear,Colposcopy provides a technique for visualization of cervix and vagina to examine physiological and pathological changes of squamocolumnar junction and select the optimal site for biopsy.Refined screening techniques and improved patient education have contributed to an increased awareness and early detection of pre-invasive lesions of the female genital tract and in particular those of cervix.The study is aimed to assess the predictive value of Pap smear and Colposcopy in cervical cancer detection programmes and further suggesting that cervical cancer is preventable and is highly suitable for primary prevention.