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...
Once considered the leading killer among women, cervical cancer is no longer the menacing threat it used to be. And Pap smears are largely the reason why. In fact, the American Cancer Society credits Pap smears with slashing cervical cancer deaths...
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...
Cervical dysplasia is best described as irregular cellular growth on the surface of the narrow end of the uterus, known as the cervix. Believed to be associated with direct exposure to the human papilloma virus, cervical dysplasia can go unnoticed...
Regular pap smear testing has significantly reduced the number of cervical cancer cases and deaths, but there is still more to be done. One thing you may consider is reducing your intake of red meat. Nutrients in red meat may cause cancer if eaten...
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...
Gynecologists (GYNs) perform many tests to diagnose problems within the female reproductive system; some are done yearly, others are done only if needed. Many diseases can be diagnosed by tests done in the gynecologist's office; most tests involve...
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....
The American Cancer Society recommends getting yearly pap smear tests done at age 21 or within three years after you become sexually active, whichever comes first. The pap smear test, done alone, will not test for HPV (Human Papillomavirus) but...
A Pap smear is routinely used to screen women for cervical cancer or abnormal cervical cells which may develop into cancer, called cervical dysplasia. A woman with an abnormal Pap smear usually undergoes additional testing, such as a cervical...
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...
The Pap smear, named for its creator, Dr. George Papanicolaou, is a medical screening test health care providers use to check for changes in the cervix that indicate cancer, precancerous conditions or infection. The cervix is the lower part of the...
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...
The Pap smear test, a way for doctors to check for signs of cervical cancer, is a routine part of most gynecological annual exams. Since the Pap smear test began to be implemented 50 years ago, it has greatly reduced the cases of cervical cancer...
A Pap smear is a routine laboratory diagnostic test used by gynecologists to detect cell changes in a woman's cervix that might indicate a precancerous or cancerous condition. Until 2003, when the American College of Obstetricians and...
The goal of an annual Pap smear is a test of a sample of the cervix using a swab or smear that is sent to a clinical lab for testing. The test looks for abnormal cells of the cervix that may be precancerous. If detection of precancerous cells...
A pap test or pap smear is a test that physicians use to look for changes in the cells of the cervix, the opening of the uterus that sits at the top of the vagina. During a pap test, a physician or nurse practitioner will collect sample cervical...
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...
A pap smear is an examination performed by a doctor to check for abnormalities in the cervix. The examination is helpful for detecting precancerous or cancerous cells in the cervix. Early detection of cancer cells increases the chances of...
The pap smear is a laboratory test that is performed on cervical cells to determine whether cellular changes are present. These changes can indicate a precancerous condition or the presence of cancer in the female reproductive tract....
Pap Smears Detect Problems in Cervix A doctor takes a pap smear or pap test to get a sample of cells from a woman's cervix. The screening helps detect cancerous cells and other changes. The test can check for cervical cancer, infections or other...
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...
A pap test, also called a pap smear, is a test performed as part of the regular gynecological checkups a woman receives. This important test is quick and painless and can detect the signs of cervical cancer by taking a sample of the cervix tissue....
Uterine cancer, also called endometrial cancer, led to almost 8,000 deaths and more than 40,000 new cancer diagnoses in the United States in 2009, reports the National Cancer Institute. The cancer develops due to abnormal cell proliferation of...
A Pap smear, or Pap test, checks for changes in the cervix. The cervix is located at the lower part of the uterus and opens into the vagina. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services explains that a Pap smear can help detect the earliest...
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...
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is a sexually transmitted disease that can occur in both men and women. Most strains of HPV do not have symptoms. According to the CDC, many types of HPV go away without any need for treatment. However, certain...
A pap smear is a gynecological test designed to detect premalignant and malignant processes in the cervix and uterus. Get tips and advice on preventing, diagnosing, and treating cervical and uterine cancer in this medical video.
