Screening for cervical cancer in Butha Buthe, Lesotho. A study of Papanicolaou (Pap) smears in a previously unscreened community over a one-year period.

The results of 2896 cervical smears taken from 2713 women at the outpatient department of Butha Buthe Government Hospital between January and December 1981 are reported. A high prevalence of mild and moderate dysplasia (18 per 1000) and of frank invasive carcinoma (5.2 per 1000) was found in this previously unscreened population. The rate of carcinoma-in-situ was 2.8 per 1000. The positive results are compared with other studies and analysed according to age and parity. The problems of treating cervical cancer in a Third World country with limited facilities are revealed and a cost/benefit analysis is attempted. Criteria for selecting a risk group are examined.