Relative risks for squamous intraepithelial lesions detected by the Papanicolaou test among air force and army beneficiaries of the military health care system

Squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix typically has a curable precancerous phase of 5 to 10 years, during which the Papanicolaou (Pap) test can often detect characteristic cytologic features. The records of 126,024 Pap tests from January 1994 through June 1999 were reviewed. The distribution of cervical dysplasia was unequally distributed between age and military relationship groups, with younger women and active duty women being at increased relative risk for squamous intraepithelial lesions.