Pap Smear Test for Cervival Cancer – How Far is it Effective
September 1, 2010 by admin
Filed under General Health
This patch test is done in gynecology to detect malignant or premalignant cancer in ectocervix. This process is also called as Papanicolaou test by many people. Through this method, you can detect and prevent cervical cancer. In this process, a device is used to collect cells from the outer of your cervix. After this, cells are tested for its abnormalities through the microscope. This test checks the pre-cancerous growth caused through sexual transmission. This method was invented by George Papanicolaou.
This test is very important for those women who had regular sexual intercourse. It should be done every five years or annually. However, if any abnormalities are observed, you should go for this test within a year. If further test is needed, coloscopy may be done. Sometimes DNA test is also done to check the cells.
Pap smear screening
This test screening varies in every nation. This screening test sometimes starts at the age of 20 or 25 and continues till the age of 60. However, it is useless for those females who do not have sex. This test should only happen after 3 years of their first sexual intercourse. If the test is done within a year, it can be stressful for women since further tests are needed to be done to diagnose it. Since cervical cancer takes a lot of time to enlarge so there is no need to worry about the test delay.
Pap smear procedure
This test should not be done during menstruation but it can only be done at that time if doctor wants to use liquid test to know about its progress. However, if there is lot of bleeding then counting of cells is very difficult. Even spotting or cramps can also be seen during this process. The pain intensity may depend upon the patient’s condition.
Furthermore, speculum is inserted within the vagina to know about the condition of the cervix and it is then tested in the laboratory for its abnormalities. Sometimes computer also test the slides to specify those cases which do not need to be further examined. These stains are chosen to show up cytoplastims keratinization. And a cytotechnologist uses microscope light to test the cells. There are several ways to carry this test like papillomavirus test, monolayer cytology or conventional cytology and sometimes automated analysis.
Pap smear results
These abnormal tests are always mildly abnormal indicating HPV infection but low grade of this infection does not develop cervical cancer. Also Endocervical abnormality as well as yeast, herpes, and trichomoniasis can be detected through this test.
Effectiveness of the Pap Smear Test
Due to the introduction of Pap smear test death by cervical cancer has greatly reduced. So, it is necessary to introduce this test for the cervical cancer patients.
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