Background: The recommendations of the French consensus (Lille 1990) advise the stop of the tracking by cervical smears of cancer at 65-years-old, if the former follow-up were regular and if the last two smears were normal. 33% cervical cancers are after 65-years-old.
Aim: How many pathological smears are after 65 years?
Method: Descriptive, retrospective study analyzing the results of 12339 smears of women of more than 65 years, carried out during one year in the same laboratory of anatomo-pathology. They were analysed with Bethesda's system.
Results: 2.67% of smears are of insufficient quality (CI 95%: 2, 46%; 3%); 2.43% of smears are pathological (CI 95%: 2, 2%; 2, 7%). That pathological smear's rate is comparable to the one found among women of less than 65-years-old (2 to 3%). The squamous cell carcinoma's rate is more important in this group.
Conclusion: This work encourages us to continue smear's practice among women of more than 65 years.