The launch of marketing ads for a new vaccine to prevent HPV infection which can cause cervical cancer has reintroduced the Pap test to the popular media.
Unfortunately, a survey unveiled at the last annual meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggested the majority of women don’t even understand the Pap test.
The Study
Researchers asked a total of 351 women (192 completed in English, 159 completed in Spanish) seven questions regarding the Pap test.
The Result
Their results revealed that two thirds of Spanish speaking women surveyed understood that the test did not detect the sexually transmitted diseases gonorrhea or Chlamydia, while only half of the English speaking women did.
Also about half of both groups mistakenly believed that an abnormal Pap would require a hysterectomy and would mean they had cancer.
Furthermore, two thirds of the English speaking women and one third of the Spanish knew that the test is used to detect cancer of the cervix.
For women who may fall into the above categories, Pap tests are usually performed during the annual gynecological exam as part of the pelvic exam. A swab or brush removes cervical cells from the lower part of the uterus for examination under a microscope.
The lab technologist is looking for abnormalities in cells that may indicate something as simple as a slight irritation or as serious as neoplastic cells. Cells that appear to be abnormal can be graded as “precervical cancer” that if not treated can result in cervical cancer.
This is why yearly Pap tests are so critical. If precancerous cells are detected, treatment can be initiated to prevent progression to cervical cancer.
The sample used for the Pap can also be used to detect the presence of HPV, of which certain types can cause cervical cancer and genital warts.
In light of this research, it appears public health officials and health care providers should ensure women accurately understand Pap testing and the necessity of such as cervical cancer still kills 3700 women a year, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the US.
