Prevalence rate of high-grade cytological lesions of the cervix in women aged under 25 years in French Guiana

Introduction: The incidence of cervical cancer in French Guiana is among the highest worldwide. It ranks 5th among all cancers and is the 2nd most common cancer in women after breast cancer. The primary objective of this study was to establish the proportion of high-grade cytological lesions of the cervix in women under 25 years of age who underwent a cervico-uterine smear (CUS) in French Guiana over a 10-year period. Material and methods: This cross-sectional, retrospective, and descriptive study included all female patients under 25 years of age who underwent CUS between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019, in French Guiana, regardless of the reason for consultation. Results: A total of 17,275 CUS were selected for analysis of the results and study of squamous abnormalities, of which 15,421 (89.3%) showed no abnormality, and 1,854 (10.7%) showed a squamous abnormality. Only 3.9% of patients presented with atypical squamous cell evocating high grade lesions and 4.4% with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. The prevalence and severity of the abnormalities increased with age; no cases of cancers were detected. Conclusion: In view of the results and the benefit/risk balance, systematic generalized early screening for those aged 25 and over does not appear to be warranted. Instead, screening should be targeted based on clinical history.