First Trial of Cervical Cytology in Healthy Women of Urban Laos using by Self-sampling Instrument

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in Laos women and a screening programme, even with the PAPsmear test (PAP test), has yet to be established for routine use. The Pap test is accepted as the most appropriatefor cervical cancer screening in some settings but it is not commonly available in Laos hospitals, because thereare few cytopathologists and gynecologists have little experience. As a pilot program, seminars for the PAPtest were given in 2007 and 2008, and then PAP tests were carried out using self-sampling instrument (Kato’sdevice) with 200 healthy volunteers in Setthathirath hospital, Laos, in 2008. The actual examination number was196, divided into class I 104 (53.1%), class II 85 (43.3%), class IIIa 4 (2.0%), class IIIb 1 (0.5%), and class V 1(0.5%) by modified Papanicalau classification. Four cases had menstruation. There were 6 cases with epithelialcell abnormalities including malignancy. There were 7 cases with fungus and 2 cases with trichomonas in ClassII. More than 70% volunteers felt comfortable with the Kato’s device and wanted to use it next time, becauseof the avoidance of the embarrassment and a low cost as compared with pelvic examination by gynecologists.This first trial for PAP test for healthy Laos women related to a hospital found three percent to have avnormalcervical epithelial cells. Therefore, this appraoch using a self-sampling device suggests that it should be plannedfor cervical cancer prevention in Laos.