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CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Vol 20, 168-171, Copyright © 1970 by American Cancer Society

Vaginal Irrigation Smear Technique For Mass Screening

¹ Assistant Visiting Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Rockville Memorial Hospital, Rockville, Connecticut.
² Associate Visiting Obstetrician and Gynecologist, St. Francis Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut.

Whether it is due to the asymptomatic nature of the disease or the reluctance of women at risk to obtain Pap smears, total cytological screening for cancer of the cervix is far from a reality. We would not disagree that the best method of control of this disease is a yearly gynecological exam with cytological smears, but this, in the light of statistical participation of women at risk, has not been a sufficient solution.

The V.I.S. method offers an alternate method which can encourage large numbers of women to participate in cytological screening who might not otherwise do so. With cooperation from large and small industries, insurance companies, governmental agencies, and women's clubs, where a varying amount of organization already exists, the irrigation smear can be applied easily.

In hospitals, the irrigation smear could be readily adapted to the screening of all female admissions (depending on age, marital status and parity).

With adequate instruction by nurses, a low unsatisfactory rate of specimens can be anticipated. Further projects of this nature can be undertaken without a physician being present: intelligent, trained paramedical personnel can run them.

Our results compare favorably with the rate of cervical cancer that we should expect in our area. It is our opinion that the V.I.S. technique is an accurate, inexpensive method of obtaining cervical cytological specimens and can play a major role in the control of this disease, especially when applied to large masses for screening purposes.

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