Prevalence of precancerous and cancerous cervical lesions in women from Batna, Algeria

Background and aims: Cervical cancer is the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancer among Algerian women and the seventh in Batna. This study sought to evaluate the prevalence of precancerous and cancerous cervical lesions and identify the target age groups for focused screening efforts to facilitate the early detection of uterine cervical neoplasms. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted for seven years, from January 2017 to December 2023. A total of 12623 Algerian women, aged 25 to 65, were screened cytologically using the Papanicolaou test as part of a national screening program for early detection of cancerous lesions and precursor lesions of cervical cancer. Results: The predominant age group was 30-39 years, accounting for 39.42%. In 98.19% of adequate smears, results were negative for intraepithelial lesions or malignancy (NILM). Of these, 3617 (29.66%) were standard, and 8301 (68.07%) exhibited non-specific inflammation. Epithelial cell abnormalities (ECAs) were observed in 225 (1.81%) of the smears. No cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), adenocarcinoma, or adenocarcinoma in situ were reported. No significant association was detected (P<0.05) between age groups and the presence of precancerous cervical lesions. However, most abnormal Pap smears were found in women over 60 years old with 24 cases (4.10%) and 56 cases (3.13%) in the 50-59 age group. Conclusion: The study found that 1.81% of cervical smears exhibited ECAs, with atypical glandular cells (AGCs) being the most prevalent (46.67%). The highest prevalence of abnormalities was observed in women over 50 years of age.