Prevalence of dysplasia and cancer of the cervix in a nationwide, planned parenthood population.

Two and three-tenths percent of cervical smears disclosed abnormalities from among 1,045,059 submitted for processing and examination by the Cancer Screening Service. The smears came from 198 Planned Parenthood Family Planning Clinics in 23 States during a 3-year period. Mild to moderate dysplasia was most frequent in women 25 to 29 years of age (prevalence rate, 25.7/1000), severe dysplasia and carcinoma in situ in women 35 to 39 years of age (prevalence rate, 4.6/1000), and invasive carcinoma in women older than 50 years of age (prevalence rate, 0.47/1000). All lesions also were encountered in younger women. Mild dysplasia was found in girls as young as 10 years of age, severe dysplasia in girls as young as 15 years, and invasive carcinoma in women as young as 20 years. The large number of young women with abnormalities suggests that availability of screening programs for sexually active women is important.