Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore the experience of conventional Pap smear (CPS), physician-collected HPV (pHPV) and self-collected HPV test (sHPV) for cervical cancer (CC) screening in the general population in the north-eastern region of Thailand. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted among women who visited the gynecology and colposcopy clinic in Kuchinarai Crown Prince Hospital for CC screening between January 2020 and December 2023. Participants received counselling before choosing between CPS, pHPV, and sHPV testing. Data reviewed from medical records included age, parity, CC screening results, colposcopy results, and treatment. RESULTS: A total of 5,984 women were enrolled in the study. There were 1,727, 2,962 and 1,295 cases in the CPS, pHPV, and sHPV, respectively. The average age of participants was 40.6, 49.5 and 47.6 years old in the CPS, pHPV, and sHPV, respectively. Percentage of multiparous participants were 86.3, 94.4 and 93.8 in CPS, pHPV and sHPV, respectively. Positive test results from the CPS, pHPV, and sHPV were 1.4, 5.7, and 6.8 percent, respectively with statistical significance. Return to colposcopy of CPS (62.5%) was highest and followed by pHPV (35.3%) and sHPV (18.2%) groups with statistical significance. Detection rate of CIN2+/CIN 3+ were 0.1/0.1, 0.5/0.4 and 0.2/0.2 percent from CPS, sHPV, and sHPV groups, respectively with statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Primary HPV and CPS testing had comparable reliability and acceptability for CC screening among Thai women. High missing rate for reflexed cytology or colposcopy of sHPV was a major issue.