A Pap smear is a screening tool that healthcare professionals use detect abnormal cells and cancer. During the Pap smear, a healthcare professional takes a cell sample from the cervix.
Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the cells in the lower part of the uterus. This region is called the cervix, it is small and narrow, and it connects the uterus to the vagina. It provides an entry for sperm to pass into the uterus. The cervix also provides an exit from the uterus for monthly menstrual blood flow or a baby during delivery.
There are two parts to the cervix, and two different types of cells occur there:
Endocervix: This is the innermost part of the cervix. It lines the “tunnel” leading from the uterus into the vagina. It contains tall, column-like cells that are responsible for mucus secretion.
Ectocervix: This is the outer portion of the cervix, and it protrudes into the vagina. The ectocervix is home to squamous cells, which resemble fish scales under the microscope.
Where these two cell types meet is where most cervical cancersTrusted Source and precancerous cells form.
What is a Pap smear?
A Pap smear is a screening tool that can help doctors detect abnormal cells and cancer. It works by sampling cells from the cervix.
Cervical cancer screening is vital for getting an early diagnosis of cervical cancer. With an early diagnosis, effective treatment is usually possible.
Doctors recommend two tests for this purpose:
- The Pap smear, which checks for abnormal cells.
- The human papillomavirus (HPV) test, which detects DNA from HPV to reveal both its presence and type.
This information can help a doctor determine whether a person has cervical cancer, or if they have an increased risk of developing this disease.
These tests can detect:
- precancerous cell changes
- the presence of HPV
- the presence of cancer
If the tests lead to a diagnosis, a person can then seek treatment.
Routine screening does not always automatically include both tests at the same time, but a person can ask for an HPV test at the same time as a Pap smear.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), deaths from cervical cancer decreasedTrusted Source dramatically after the introduction of the Pap smear.
What happens during a Pap smear?
Reference and Full Article: Medical News Today – Pap smear: What is it, what happens, and results (medicalnewstoday.com)