Can
Cervical Cancer be Prevented?
If all women had pelvic exams and Pap tests regularly, most precancerous
conditions would be detected and treated before cancer develops. That
way, most invasive cancers could be prevented. Any invasive cancer
that does occur would likely be found at an early, curable stage.
In a pelvic exam, the doctor checks the uterus, vagina, ovaries, fallopian
tubes, bladder, and rectum. The doctor feels these organs for any
abnormality in their shape or size. A speculum is used to widen the
vagina so that the doctor can see the upper part of the vagina and
the cervix.
The Pap test is a simple, painless test to detect abnormal cells in
and around the cervix. A woman should have this test when she is not
menstruating; the best time is between 10 and 20 days after the first
day of her menstrual period. For about 2 days before a Pap test, she
should avoid douching or using spermicidal foams, creams, or jellies
or vaginal medicines (except as directed by a physician), which may
wash away or hide any abnormal cells.
A Pap test can be done in a doctor's office or a health clinic. A
wooden scraper (spatula) and/or a small brush is used to collect a
sample of cells from the cervix and upper vagina. The cells are placed
on a glass slide and sent to a medical laboratory to be checked for
abnormal changes.
The way of describing Pap test results is changing. The newest method
is the Bethesda System. Changes are described as low-grade or high-grade
SIL. Many doctors believe that the Bethesda System provides more useful
information than an older system, which uses numbers ranging from
class 1 to class 5. (In class 1, the cells in the sample are normal,
while class 5 refers to invasive cancer.) Women should ask their doctor
to explain the system used for their Pap test.
Women should have regular checkups, including a pelvic exam and a
Pap test, if they are or have been sexually active or if they are
age 18 or older. Those who are at increased risk of developing cancer
of the cervix should be especially careful to follow their doctor's
advice about checkups. (For a discussion of risk factors for cervical
cancer see the Cause and Prevention section.) Women who have had a
hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus, including the cervix)
should ask their doctor's advice about having pelvic exams and Pap
tests. |
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