Family Practice Vol. 16, No. 5, 542
© Oxford University Press 1999
Correspondence |
Mildly dyskaryotic smear results
Manor Health Centre, 86 Clapham Manor Street, London SW4 6EB, UK.
Somerset and colleagues note that the majority of cervical smear tests in the UK are taken by a GP or practice nurse.1 Similarly Austoker has pointed out that primary care is central to the overall success of the cervical screening programme.2 GPs are in a unique position to invite women for a smear test, to take smears and to ensure that abnormal test results are followed up.
We conducted an audit of all 214 smears taken in our inner-city practice between February and September 1998. Seventy per cent were taken by the practice nurse and the rest by the three doctors. Fourteen smears (6.5%) were inadequate, 57 smears (27%) had no endocervical cells, and 16 (8%) of adequate smears showed borderline changes or mild dyskaryosis. These are similar to national figures.2 Three women (1.5%) were referred for colposcopy. We have taken advice from family planning doctors on how to improve our smear-taking technique by taking additional brush specimens and doing repeat smears mid-cycle. We will repeat the audit in due course.
We agree with Somerset and colleagues that it is important to improve women's knowledge about the meaning of an abnormal smear result. But is also vital to ensure an adequate sampling technique.
References
1
Somerset M, Baxter K, Wilkinson C, Peters TJ. Mildly dyskaryotic smear results: does it matter what women know? Fam Pract 1998; 15: 537–542.
2
Austoker J. Screening for cervical cancer. Br Med J 1994; 309: 241–248.
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