Inadequacy of Papanicolaou Smears in the Detection of Endometrial Cancer

BY State law and appropriate regulation the State Health Department initiated an Alabama Cancer Registry (A.C.R.) in 1961. This data bank provides the basis for this report.Kistner et al. have suggested a rising incidence of endometrial cancer.1 Jones et al. found a lowering of the ratio of cervical to endometrial cancer.2 The A.C.R. shows a ratio of 4.9:1 in 1962 to 3.3:1 in 1972. Sharon et al. reported a reversal of the cervical to endometrial cancer ratio in Israel.3 MethodsThe usefulness of the Papanicolaou technic for detection of endometrial cancer was studied by arbitrary selection of both all . . .