Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36816788›Full record

ArticleEcancermedicalscience2023

Quality assurance in cytology reporting in Ghana: an urgent call.

Kofi Effah, Joseph Emmanuel Amuah, Ethel Tekpor, Comfort Mawusi Wormenor, Bernard Hayford Atuguba, Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, Stephen Danyo, Patrick Kafui Akakpo

Open access · goldAbstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Ecancermedicalscience, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 31% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Kofi EffahCatholic Hospital, Battor, P. O. Box 2, Battor, via Sogakope, Volta Region, Ghana.
Joseph Emmanuel AmuahCatholic Hospital, Battor, P. O. Box 2, Battor, via Sogakope, Volta Region, Ghana.
Ethel TekporCatholic Hospital, Battor, P. O. Box 2, Battor, via Sogakope, Volta Region, Ghana.
Comfort Mawusi WormenorCatholic Hospital, Battor, P. O. Box 2, Battor, via Sogakope, Volta Region, Ghana.
Bernard Hayford AtugubaCatholic Hospital, Battor, P. O. Box 2, Battor, via Sogakope, Volta Region, Ghana.
Sodzi Sodzi-TetteyInstitute for Healthcare Improvement, State Street, 18th Floor, Boston, MA 02109, USA.
Stephen DanyoCatholic Hospital, Battor, P. O. Box 2, Battor, via Sogakope, Volta Region, Ghana.
Patrick Kafui AkakpoDepartment of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Cape Coast, P. O. Box CT 1362 CPAE COAST Ghana.
Catholic University College of Ghana · GHGhana Education Service · GHInstitute for Healthcare Improvement · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: In Ghana, the Papanicolaou (PAP) smear remains central to cervical cancer screening although human papilloma virus testing is recommended. The success of the PAP smear however depends on stringent quality processes. Unfortunately, PAP smear reporting in Ghana is uncoordinated with no clear quality guidelines. Methods: We applied quality guidelines to all PAP smear diagnoses of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) at Catholic Hospital Battor from 1 June 2016 to 31 August 2021. Available slides were independently reviewed by two pathologists, colposcopy findings were correlated with PAP smear results and histology cytology correlation was carried out after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). Results: Of 17 women with HSIL, 3 available slides were reviewed and found to be normal (negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy), obviating the need for LEEP. Of the 11 that had LEEP after colposcopy, cytology histology correlation revealed that 54.6% (6) had no dysplasia, 27.3% (3) were cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) II and 18.2% (2) were CIN III. Cytology, colposcopy correlation showed that (out) of the 17 women, 52.9% (9) had no lesions, 29.4% (5) had minor changes and 17.7% (3) had major changes on their cervix. Of the nine that had no lesions on colposcopy, five had LEEP. Of these five, dysplasia (at least CIN II) was revealed in three (60%). Conclusion: The lack of quality processes in PAP smear reporting results in a high false positive rate with overtreatment of patients. Quality measures need to be adopted for the reporting of PAP smears in Ghana if gains are to be made in the fight against cervical cancer.

Indexed as

cytologyqualityreporting

Identifiers

PMID36816788
PMCPMC9937070
OpenAlexW4313888642

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.