The screening history of women with cervical cancer in the Rotterdam area

Objective: In order to gain insight into the diagnostic effectiveness of the screening program on cervical cancer in the Rotterdam area, the history of women with cervical cancer was studied. Three questions were asked: (1) What percentage of women were invited to the screening program, and what percentage participated. (2) What percentage of women had had a negative smear within 3 years before cancer was diagnosed, and (3) What percentage of women encountered inadequate follow-up. Methods: All the cytological and histological results of women who were diagnosed with cervical carcinoma between 1992-1994 were studied. Results: Within 3 years of the diagnosis, 42% of the 165 women with cervical cancer were invited for the cervical screening program. A total of 47% were too old to be invited and 10% were too young. A total of 37% of the women who were invited participated in the screening program. A total of 33 (20%) of 165 women with cervical carcinoma had had a negative smear within three years preceding the diagnosis. For women under 34 years of age this was 41% (n = 7), and for women over 56 years 8% (n = 6). A total of 7% of all women with cervical cancer encountered inadequate follow-up. Conclusion: Many women with a diagnosis of cervical cancer are too old to be invited for the cervical screening program. Relatively few of the women with cervical cancer who were invited for the screening program actually participated in this program.