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February 10, 2012

Pap Smear (cont.)

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Pap Smear At A Glance
  • A Pap smear is a simple, quick, and essentially painless screening test.

  • Cells collected from a woman's cervix are spread on a microscope slide for examination.

  • The cells are evaluated for abnormalities, specifically for pre- cancerous and cancerous changes.

  • Pap smears are recommended for all women starting at age 21 years or within 3 years of becoming sexually active, whichever comes first.

  • Most women over age 30 who have had reliable Pap screening with persistently normal results can be screened less often than yearly.

  • Pap smears should not be performed in women who have had a total hysterectomy for benign conditions and had prior normal Pap smears.

  • The Pap smear is read (analyzed) according to a uniform standardized system known as the Bethesda System.

  • A recording of the woman's menstruation status and whether and when she had abnormal Pap smears previously, is essential to the reader of the current Pap smear.

  • Screening guidelines recommend that most women over 65-70 years old who have had regular Pap screening with negative results can stop having Pap tests, because abnormal Pap smears are very unusual in this setting.

  • Up to 80% of women diagnosed with invasive cancer of the cervix have not had a Pap smear in the past 5 years.

  • Cancer of the cervix is a preventable disease.

Previous contributing author: Carolyn Crandall, MD, FACP


Last Editorial Review: 9/29/2008


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