A pap smear is a test to detect changes in the cells of your cervix. The National Cancer Institute estimates that about 55 million pap smears are done annually in the United States. Of those, about 3.5 million or 6 percent, are abnormal and...
Pap smears are generally done as part of a routine gynecological exam. With this test some of the cells on the surface of the cervix are removed using a swab and later examined using a microscope. This test looks for abnormal cells which could...
A cervical smear, also called a Pap smear or a Pap test, is a diagnostic test routinely performed by doctors to check the health of the cervix. To perform this test, a doctor uses a uses a wooden scraper to remove a small sample of cells from the...
A pap smears tests a sample of cells from your cervix to detect pre-cancerous changes or cancer. A pap smear can detect several different types of abnormal cells. The type of cells, their shape and size and color all indicate whether the changes...
In 2001, the Bethesda System was developed and is now widely used for classification of pap smears, according to the American Social Health Association. This system groups types of abnormal paps together and makes it easier for clinicians to know...
A Pap smear test is used to screen women for cervical cancer; it looks at cells on the surface of the cervix. It is normally performed as part of a routine gynecological exam. The cervix is at the back of the vagina and connects the vagina and the...
Specific strains of the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, or HPV, cause the benign tumors known as genital warts. HPV can also affect the cervix, the opening of the uterus, causing warts or changes in the appearance of cervical cells....
The Pap smear is a test used to distinguish normal cells from abnormal cells in the cervix. During a pelvic exam, a physician scrapes some cells from your cervix and smears them on a slide, and then sends it to a lab for analysis. Abnormalities...
Women undergo a Pap test, also referred to as a Pap smear, to check for cancer and other abnormalities in the cervix. Infections and inflammation also can be detected in the lower portion of the uterus through a Pap test. According to the National...
A part of a woman's annual gynecological examination, a Pap smear takes a cell sample from the cervix. The University of Michigan University Health Center recommends regular Pap smears for women who are 21 and older or those who have been sexually...
Just as the female parts of a flower contain a stigma which receives pollen, human female reproductive parts have at their center a cervix, which is the bulbous opening to the uterus. Cervical tissue is delicate and made up of thin layers that...
An abnormal result from a pap test, also known as a pap smear, can be scary. Because the test looks for changes that indicate cervical cancer or precancerous conditions, many women worry that abnormalities indicate the presence of cancer. However,...
A Pap test, or Pap smear, is a test that checks for precancerous changes or cancer cells in the cervix. According to the American Cancer Society, cervical cancer is typically slow growing, so regular Pap tests can pick up any gradual cellular...
Pap tests, sometimes referred to as pap smears, are a method used to sample cells found in the cervix for growth irregularities and presence of disease. Medical authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control and the Mayo Clinic, recommend...
Pap smears are often performed as part of a normal gynecolgical exam to look for signs and risk factors for cervical cancer. With a Pap smear, a cotton swab is inserted into the vagina and brushed up against the cervix in order to get a sampling...
Many women are nervous or concerned when told their Pap smear is abnormal. However, an abnormal Pap smear does not necessarily indicate cervical cancer. It is imperative that women understand the different classifications of an abnormal Pap smear...
A Pap smear is a screening method used to identify cervical cancer in women. It is typically done every year during a woman's annual gynecological exam, but can be done more frequently in women who have previously had abnormal results. Having a...
Pap tests are an important part of a woman's routine health exam and have greatly reduced the number of cases of cervical cancer. The Pap test or Pap smear looks for cell changes on the cervix that might become cancer. An irregular Pap test means...
The Pap test is a procedure that collects cells from the cervix and vagina for examination under a microscope. Its main use is as a screening test for cervical cancer, which is linked to human papilloma virus (HPV). The treatment of an abnormal...
Pap smears can diagnose cervical cancer at a very early stage. Pap smears, which are simple, painless tests that examine cells scraped off the surface of the cervix, should be done every 3 years up until age 65 to 70. Most laboratories grade pap...
According to the American Cancer Society, or ACS, an estimated 11,270 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2009. In the same year, as many as 4,070 people are estimated to lose their lives to the disease....
Pap smears are a common screening test that can be used to detect changes in the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer. One of the main causes of cervical cancer is an infection with the human papillomavirus, also known as HPV. As a result, many...
A gynecological exam alone is not enough to detect cervical cancer or precancerous cells. The cervix, which is the lower, narrower end of the uterus, is where your doctor collects cells for a Pap smear. If detected early, cervical cancer is one of...
Pap smears are often performed as part of a routine gynecological examination. This screening test allows gynecologists to detect abnormal cells that can be indicative of cervical cancer or cervical dysplasia, which is a precancerous condition....
Abnormal Pap smears and yeast infections are two common findings during routine gynecologic exams, according to the Encyclopedia of Family Health. Although both are common, they can be a source of consternation for women. Even though the Pap smear...
ASCUS, or atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, means there are mild changes within the cellular structure of the cervix. This can often be a precursor to precancerous cell growth known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasms, or...
Pap smears are commonly done during gynecological exams. This test involves the gynecologist using a swab to get a sample of some of the cells which are on the surface of the cervix. These cells can then be examined to see if they are abnormal....
What is a Pap Smear (or a Papanicolauo's Test)? Pap smears, also called cervical smears, are very important for women who start having sex in their early teens. This may be because the young cervix is more vulnerable to cancerous changes when...
