Aim: To investigate the clinicopathological spectrum of cervical cancers at a tertiary care center to evaluate the scenario in North India.
Materials and methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted jointly by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Department of Pathology at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital over 18 months, spanning from January 2022 to July 2023. Histopathological diagnoses were correlated with age, symptoms, Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging, and other pertinent clinical details. Biostatistical analysis was performed utilizing the Student's t-test for quantitative data. A p-value < 0.05 was deemed statistically significant.
Results: A total of 162 cases of cervical neoplasia were identified. Most cases (77.77%, 126 cases) were classified as squamous cell carcinoma, followed by adenocarcinoma, constituting only 16.04% (26 cases), with a mean age of 47.5 years. The predominant symptoms reported were vaginal discharge (65.43%), followed by postmenopausal bleeding (44.44%) and lower abdominal pain (32.09%). The most common presentation stage was stage IIB, accounting for 33.33% (52 cases).
Conclusion: Histomorphology remains pivotal in the diagnosis of cervical cancers. In settings with low compliance rates, such as ours, colposcopy-guided biopsy emerges as the preferred management approach, particularly in elderly females, to definitively diagnose or rule out neoplasia.
Clinical significance: The implementation of a national-level cervical cancer program is imperative and should encompass initiatives such as human papillomavirus vaccination, awareness campaigns, screening programs, and treatment support for individuals from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
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