Pap smear recommendations 2012 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pap smear recommendations 2012 - Research Paper Example This helps the doctor in examining the cervix and the vagina. It collects some cells and some mucus from the cervix and the surrounding area and then the cells are placed in a bottle of liquid or on a slide. The collected cells are then sent to a laboratory so as to be checked whether they are normal. At the same time, the doctor can as well carry out a pelvic exam by checking the woman’s ovaries, uterus plus the other organs to ensure that there are no problems with them. The Pap test which screens for cervical cancer may be one of the best and reliable available cancer screening tests (Bartlett, p, 34) The Pap test only screens for cervical cancer while it does not screen for uterine, ovarian, valve or vaginal cancers. It can take up to three weeks before a woman receive her Pap test results. If anything abnormal is observed, the doctor can conduct the associated and finger out the best way of making the follow up. If the pap test are not normal, this does not mean that she has cancer but if the tests show that the test is not normal and may result to cancer, the doctor can advice the woman on the measures taken for its treatment so as to prevent it from developing. It is the best option for a woman to make follow ups with her doctor to learn more about her test results and the treatment that may be required. Women should get pap tests after every three years at the ages of between 21 and 29 years. For women of 30 years and above who had three normal pap tests each year may be tested less often for every two or three years. The combination of the Pap test and the HPV is the most preferred plan for women over thirty years. Screening is on the other hand not preferred for women of age 65 or older who have had the Pap test three times in a row and have been found with no pap abnormality tests for the last ten tears. Women with the normal Pap test result and a positive HPV test result should