PREVALENCE OF CERVICAL CANCER AND PRECANCEROUS LESIONS IN WOMEN BY USING PAP SMEAR AND HPV PCR

Abstract

Cervical cancer is the fourth most widespread cancer in women. Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been linked to about 80-90% of all cases of cervical cancer. This disease primarily has an effect on women belongs from low- and lower-middle-income countries, where 90% of cases happen, and Pakistan is one of them. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HPV among adult women by analyzing results of Pap smear and HPV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and to find the association of age group with precancerous lesions and cervical cancer. This was a retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study. Data was collected in February 2026 from Hameed Latif Hospital Laboratory. The sampling technique was consecutive sampling. A total of 108 female participants were included in the study. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 27, and Chi Square test was applied to find the association. Data was presented both in graph and tabulated form. The findings showed that the majority of the female participants were from the age group of 35-39 years. Cancer was reported among females aged 45-49 and 55-59. 22.2% of the females were detected with positive HPV (HR-HPV). 67.5% cases had abnormal Pap smear, with 50% cases of inflammation, 1.85% of ASCUS, 13.8% of mild to moderate abnormalities in cervical cells exhibiting precancerous lesions, while 1.85% cases were of severe abnormality, suggestive of invasive cancer. The majority of the female participants showed signs of low-grade intraepithelial lesion (8.3%), followed by HSIL (5.5%) and cervical cancer. It also reported a significant association between age groups and development of cancer (p<0.05). The study reports that the prevalence of cervical cancer remains an important women’s health concern. Overall, the study contributes to a better understanding of the pattern of cervical cancer and underscores the importance of continued research.