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Title: |
Persistence of Cytologic Abnormality After Treatment of Bacterial, Parasitic and Fungal Infections in Older Women with Low Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion | |||||||||||||||||||
| Authors: | Jayashree Joshi, M.D., Ph.D., Mohd Zubair Affandi, M.Sc., Ph.D., Prayag Amin, B.Sc., Rama Vaidya, M.D., Ph.D., and Reeta Shah, M.D. | |||||||||||||||||||
| To the Editors: It is generally observed that low and high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL and HSIL, respectively) may undergo regression in >30%.1,2 In a large, prospective study by Moscicki et al3 it was observed that 90% of cases with LSIL in the younger age group, 13–22 years of age, show regression on long-term follow-up. We report the effect of treatment of bacterial, parasitic and fungal treatment on Pap smears from women with a report of LSIL. We have outpatient women’s health clinics and a cervical cancer screening program for women. Those with HSIL or suspected cancer are referred to nearby hospitals. A research grant which involved studying the effect of pharmacologic treatment of associated genital infections in women with LSIL (except viral infections) allowed us to screen women from low socioeconomic groups free of cost. Since the majority of women developing cancer or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) are over 30 years of age in our population, free Pap tests were offered to this group. About one fourth of the women belong to the higher socioeconomic group and are required to pay for the Pap test. There is no universal government- or insurance-based screening program. The study was approved by an independent ethics committee. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Keywords: | cervical cancer, cervical neoplasia, Papanicolaou smear | |||||||||||||||||||
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