Volume: 46 Issue: 2
Year: 2026, Page: 109-112, Doi: https://doi.org/10.51248/v46i2.22
Received: Feb. 17, 2026 Accepted: June 3, 2026 Published: June 7, 2026
Background: Pap smear screening plays a pivotal role in early detection of cervical epithelial abnormalities and associated infections. This study evaluates the cytological patterns and prevalence of various cervical lesions in women undergoing routine Pap smear screening.
Methods: All woman attending Outpatient Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, Guwahati were screened over a period of 1 year. A retrospective analysis of Pap smear reports was conducted, categorizing findings based on the Bethesda System. A total of 1,835 samples were examined for inflammatory, infectious, premalignant, malignant, and unsatisfactory smears. Ayre spatula was used to collect the smear sample and placed on a glass slide fixed promptly in 95% ethyl alcohol, and transported to the Department of Pathology for cytological assessment.
Results: Out of 1,835 smears, 1,619 (88.25%) were Negative for Intraepithelial Lesion or Malignancy (NILM). Inflammatory smears accounted for 10 (0.54%), and 178 (9.7%) samples were unsatisfactory. Premalignant lesions included HSIL in 8 cases, ASC-H in 4 cases, and ASCUS in 4 cases (including 1 with inflammation). Atypical glandular and endocervical cells were noted in 6 cases. One case of squamous cell carcinoma and one case of ASC-H with carcinoma were identified.
Conclusion: The predominance of NILM results highlights the effectiveness of Pap smear screening in ruling out malignancy. However, the presence of high-grade lesions and one invasive carcinoma underscores the need for vigilant cytological evaluation and appropriate follow-up.
Keywords: Pap smear, cervical cytology, HSIL, ASCUS, ASC-H
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