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Cervical Cancer
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Pap smear
- The health
professional uses a wooden spatula and brush to remove a few cells from the
surface of your cervix.
- The cells are then
placed on a slide and sent to the laboratory for examination.
Dr. George
Papanicolaou, 1928
Purpose
- To detect abnormal
cells in the cervix
- Part of this
examination includes pelvic and internal vaginal examination to detect size and
placement of uterus, ovaries and any abnormalities (i.e., fibroids, cysts,
masses)
- Part of preventive
health care
- May be done yearly
- talk to your health care provider
Who
should have a pap smear
- Anyone who is
sexually active
- Females who have
many partners
- Females who are
heavy smokers
- Anyone who has
menstrual problems, e.g., unusual pain, abnormal bleeding, abnormal vaginal
discharge
- Females on
contraceptive or hormonal replacement therapy
- Daughters of D.E.S.
(diethylstilbestrol) mothers
- Potential/actual
history of Human papiloma virus, warts or herpes
- Females with past
history of cervical cancer
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Frequency
of pap smears
- Determined by
health care provider
- Once per year if
on birth control and/or sexually active
- after three normal
“Pap” tests (reports as satisfactory for evaluation) at one-year intervals,
screening should be continued every two years until age 70
- Post hysterectomy
for cancer of uterus: yearly for rest of life - Pap taken from vaginal vault
- More frequent test
for high risk clients
Client
history
- frequency and
duration of menstrual cycle
- any spotting or
bleeding between periods
- date of last
menstrual period
- onset of
menstruation
- any
discomfort/bleeding after sex
- unusual pain or
itching in genital area
- client or family
medical problems
- present/past use
of birth control and any problems
- present medication
use
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Client instructions
prior to pap smear
- no food or drink
restrictions
- client must be in
middle of menstrual cycle or post menopausal
- no douching, no
insertion of vaginal medication or tampons, no sexual intercourse for 24
(preferably 48) hours prior to Pap smear
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A
vaginal speculum in place |
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Pap results
Dysplasia
- abnormal growth in
the cells of the surface layer of the cervix
- cells do not
mature in the proper way
- is not cancer
- health care
provider will recommend another Pap smear every 3-6 months
- further
investigation and/or treatment may be required
- women of all ages
who are, or have ever been, sexually active should be screened
- after three normal
“Pap” tests (reports as satisfactory for evaluation) at one-year intervals,
screening should be continued every two years until age 70.
- if there have been
four normal “Pap” tests in the previous ten years, screening may be
discontinued
NOTE: These
recommendations do not apply to those women who have has previous abnormal “Pap”
tests
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Cervical
cancer mortality and screening in
Ontario in the 90s - Profile by Age Group |
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