Mass screening for cervical cancer using visual inspection methods with acetic acid and lugol: Experience from three campaigns in Senegal

Abstract

Objectives: To take stock of 3 mass screening campaigns for cervical cancer by visual inspection methods using acetic acid and lugol. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out during the year 2013. It concerned 3 “fairground” campaigns of systematic mass screening by visual inspection methods using acetic acid (VIA) and at Lugol (IVL). The information was collected on a survey sheet containing the following parameters: patient characteristics, level of information on cervical cancer, clinical, paraclinical and therapeutic data. Data was captured and analyzed by SPSS software version 13.0. The statistical method used was the chi-square test with a significance level set at 5%. Results: During the study period, 311 patients participated in the survey and received systematic screening for precancerous cervical lesions by visual inspection methods with acetic acid and lugol. The patients were on average 41 years old, married (67.2%) with an average parity of 3 and never had a Pap smear screening (87.8%). Most of them (60.5%) had heard of cervical cancer from the media. The majority of patients (87.1%) had no knowledge of ways to prevent cervical cancer. Systematic screening for precancerous cervical lesions was most often performed by midwives (57.2%). It made it possible to find 44 positive IVAs (14.1%) and 75 positive IVLs (24.1%). Conclusion: Visual inspection methods with acetic acid and lugol, easily performed, inexpensive and with immediate results seem to be a reliable alternative to the cervico-uterine smear to effectively and on a larger scale detect precancerous lesions of the cervix.