Negative Smears in Women Developing Invasive Cervical Cancer

Abstract

Fifty-six cervical smears originally classified as Pap. I, from women in whom cervical cancer of stage I-IV was detected within 4-5 yr after the cytological check, were reexamined to estimate the screening error and sampling failure. At the review, 35 smears were classified as Pap. II-V. The incidence of changed classification of the smears obtained from population screening was 70% and that of smears taken at private specialists or hospitals was .apprx. 50%. The influence of sampling failure on the evaluation of the smears classified as Pap. II should be considered. On 14 slides, correctly interpreted as negative, there were no columnar cells present, a fact that may indicate inefficient sampling of cells from the squamocolumnar junction.