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Pap test |
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Pap test, Pap smear, or Papanicolaou test (păp'ənē`kəlou), medical procedure used to detect cancer of the uterine cervix. A scraping, brushing, or smear, is taken from the surface of the vagina or cervix and is prepared on a slide and stained for microscopic examination and cytological analysis. The appearance of the cells determines whether they are normal, suspicious, or cancerous. Although the test is 80% to 95% reliable, results termed suspicious may indicate infection or some abnormal condition other than cancer. The smear technique is also used to detect cancer of other tissues, e.g., in the bladder. The Pap test was developed by G. N. Papanicolaou and H. F. Traut in 1943.
BibliographySee U.S. National Institute of Health, Cervical Cancer Screening (1981) and Improving the Quality of Clinician Pap Smear Technique (1989). Pap test, smear Med a similar test for precancerous cells in other organs How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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However, if a woman receives an abnormal or inconclusive reading on an initial screening for cervical cancer, only 32% of all clinics rely exclusively on conventional Pap smears for follow-up and retesting; 34% rely on a combination of conventional Pap tests and other tests, and 34% exclusively on more advanced tests. A woman was considered free of lesions if two consecutive Pap tests 6 months apart revealed no abnormal cell growth. 16) Vaginal May not produce any Routine pelvic exams, symptoms; abnormal Pap test vaginal discharge, bleeding or low pelvic pressure can be symptoms Vulvar Itching, burning, Regular Pap tests, bleeding, pain or a pelvic exams and lump in the vulvar area examination of the vulva for changes. |
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