PAPANICOLAOU SMEAR SCREENING AUGMENTED BY A MAGNIFIED CHEMILUMINESCENT EXAM

OBJECTIVES: Since the adequacy of screening for cervical cancer and pr e-cancer with Papanicolaou smear alone has been questioned, a number o f adjunctive rests have been evaluated. This study evaluated whether a magnified chemiluminescent visual screening exam can improve cervical screening when performed coincident with cytologic sampling. METHODS: Patients were evaluated using the Papanicolaou smear, magnified chemi luminescent visual exam (MCE) and colposcopy at 10 study centers. Scre ening with either Papanicolaou smear alone or in combination with MCE (Pap and MCE), was evaluated using colposcopy directed biopsy as the h ighest diagnostic standard. RESULTS: The Papanicolaou smear alone dete cted 9/29 (31%) of women with significant pathology (cervical neoplasi a) on biopsy, whereas the combination of the Pap and MCE detected 24/2 9 (83%) of the women (P < 0.001). Patients in whom both tests results were negative (negative Pap and MCE) were extremely unlikely to harbor significant pathology (1% of those screened). Pap and MCE was especia lly helpful in the detection of low grade cervical lesions when compar ed with the Papanicolaou smear alone. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that MCE enhances the sensitivity of cervical screening. MCE appears to be particularly useful as a triage instrument in women with otherwi se negative Papanicolaou smears. Further studies of cost effectiveness of this combined screening protocol using non-colposcopists is warran ted.