Visual inspection with acetic acid in cervical cancer screening

Abstract

Background: Visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) is an attractive screening method for early-phase cervical cancer in underdeveloped countries.

Objective: This study addressed the validity of VIA in cervical cancer screening by comparing results with colposcopy findings.

Methods: Of 350 women screened at the Ege University clinic using the Papanicolaou test, colposcopy and VIA were used additionally to screen 50 of these women. Colposcopy, VIA, and Papanicolaou test results were compared. A sociodemographic data questionnaire and a VIA questionnaire were used.

Results: When VIA findings were compared with Papanicolaou test findings, the sensitivity of VIA was 82.14%, specificity was 50.00%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 67.64%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 68.75%. When the method of VIA was compared with colposcopy, VIA had a sensitivity of 85.29%, specificity of 68.75%, PPV of 85.29%, and NPV of 68.75%.

Conclusions: In the screening of cervical cancer, the sensitivity of VIA was high, whereas the corresponding specificity was only at an acceptable level. The PPV and NPV of VIA were found to be high. In other words, the validity of VIA during early-phase screening is high in terms of sensitivity and acceptable for specificity and predictive values.

Implications for practice: Visual inspection with acetic acid is an acceptable screening method for cervical cancer and seems to be an efficient and cost-effective method to detect high-level dysplasia.