A Pap smear is a procedure to test for cervical cancer in women. It involves collecting cells from your cervix and looking for abnormal or precancerous cells.
A Pap smear, also called a Pap test, is a procedure to test for cervical cancer in women.A Pap smear involves collecting cells from your cervix — the lower, narrow end of your uterus that’s at the top of your vagina.Detecting cervical cancer early with a Pap smear gives you a greater chance at a cure. A Pap smear can also detect changes in your cervical cells that suggest cancer may develop in the future. Detecting these abnormal cells early with a Pap smear is your first step in halting the possible development of cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer has been proven to be caused by HPV but not all HPV infections lead to cervical cancer.HPV infections often clear on their own within a year or two.Women with predisposing factors have higher risk of persistent HPV infection which may eventually lead cervical cancer.
Cervical changes that lead to cancer usually take several years — often 10 years or more — to develop. For these reasons, you might be able to detect precancerous changes if you regularly do PAP test
HPV infection is spread by sexual intercourse-vaginal, anal and oral.
During child birth when mother has warts
By sharing of contaminated objects.
HPV is NOT spread by hugging, holding hands, swimming, toilet seats, sharing food, hereditary.
HPV infection can be detected by HPV DNA test
Two important test for cervical cancer screening are
1.Pap test
2.HPV test
HPV test often is done at the same time as a Pap test,
3 step protection from Cervical cancer
1.Practice safe sex- Limit the number of sex partners, Practice Monogamy
2.Screening
3. Vaccine
You can take these measures to make PAP tests as accurate as possible:
1.Avoid intercourse, douching, or using any vaginal medicines or spermicidal foams, creams or jellies for two days before the test.
2.Try not to schedule the test during your menstrual period. Best time be atleast5 days after your menstruation stops.
In a Pap test, a vaginal speculum holds the vaginal walls apart to show the cervix. Next, a sample of cells from the cervix is collected using a small cone-shaped brush and a tiny plastic spatula. The brush and spatula are rinsed in a liquid-filled vial and the vial goes to a laboratory for testing
A Pap smear should not hurt but may feel uncomfortable. You could experience light bleeding afterward, but you should not feel pain.Their might be slight spotting. Let your health provider know if you bleed for more than 24 hours.
Though the coverage of cancer causing HPV virus is the same in both vaccines, 9 Virus vaccine gives additional protection against warts, anal cancer,
Anytime between 9 yrs to 45 yrs
PAP test should be done every 2 years till age of 30 years and every 3 years till age of 65 yrs. However frequency will be decided by health provider depending risk factor and previous test results.
HPV DNA co testing should be started after age 30
No, You should continue PAP test even when vaccinated
The only way to know it is safe to stop being tested after age 65 is if you have had several tests in a row that didn’t find cancer within the previous 10 years, including at least one in the previous five years.
If you have had hysterectomy
Screening after age 65 may be appropriate for some women at high risk, -women with a history of cervical lesions or cancer
-women whose mothers took a hormone called diethylstilbestrol (DES) while pregnant
-women who have a weakened immune system.
Women at high risk should talk with their doctors about how often to get screened and until what age.
References
CDC.gov
