Hi,everybody as i was writing about some gynaecologic diseases,in my previous posts,i thought today, of posting a brief review of PAP SMEAR.PAP SMEAR is a very a very important screening test to detect the precursor lesions for cervical cancer.PAP SMEAR OR PAP TEST is named after it's inventor Papanicolou.
PAP TEST is done as an outpatient procedure in which cell from the cervical os[opening of the cervix] & endo-cervix[endo means inside] are collected by means of a spatula & an endocervical brush.These lining cells are then placed on a glass slide & fixed with a fixative and stained by papanicolou technique.
The cells are then examined by an experienced pathologist under a microscope.
WHO SHOULD UNDERGO PAP SMEAR:1.any women starting from 3 years after sexual intercourse or age 21 ,whichever is first.
2.from 21-30 years it should be done yearly.
3.after 30 years,if 3 consecutive pap tests are normal,then the pap test can be done at 2-3 years interval.
WHEN TO STOP TAKING PAP SMEAR:1.women who have undergone hysterectomy for benign diseases,along with removal of the cervix.
2.post-menopausal women who have 3 consecutive pap test normal,have very low chance of an abnormal result in further pap tests.But there is no fixed criteria when to stop in post-menopausal women.
RISK FACTORS OF ABNORMAL PAP RESULT:1HPV infection
2.smoking
3.immuno-deficient states.
pap test should not be done during menstruation,it should preferably be done within the first 10 days counting from the first date of menstrual bleeding.
RESULTS OF PAP SMEAR:1.no abnormality
2.ASC-US:[atypical squamous cells of unknown signigicance] most of these cases resole without treatment.So the standard protocol is to reprat pap smear after 4-6 months.If abnormality persists even in the repeat smear,then colposcopy[i,ll write about this in later posts] is indicated.
3.LSIL[low grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion]:these cases have more or less a 30% chance of having a serious lesion.Colposcopy should be done.
4.HSIL[HIGH GRADE SQUAMOUS INTRA-EPITHELIAL LESION]:THESE ARE SERIOUS ABNORMALITIES AND SHOULD BE ALWAYS THOROUGHLY EVALUATED WITH COLPOSCOPY.
For further information on this, please post a comment or consult your health care provider.You can also visit mediline/003911.htm>here
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PAP TEST is done as an outpatient procedure in which cell from the cervical os[opening of the cervix] & endo-cervix[endo means inside] are collected by means of a spatula & an endocervical brush.These lining cells are then placed on a glass slide & fixed with a fixative and stained by papanicolou technique.
The cells are then examined by an experienced pathologist under a microscope.
WHO SHOULD UNDERGO PAP SMEAR:1.any women starting from 3 years after sexual intercourse or age 21 ,whichever is first.
2.from 21-30 years it should be done yearly.
3.after 30 years,if 3 consecutive pap tests are normal,then the pap test can be done at 2-3 years interval.
WHEN TO STOP TAKING PAP SMEAR:1.women who have undergone hysterectomy for benign diseases,along with removal of the cervix.
2.post-menopausal women who have 3 consecutive pap test normal,have very low chance of an abnormal result in further pap tests.But there is no fixed criteria when to stop in post-menopausal women.
RISK FACTORS OF ABNORMAL PAP RESULT:1HPV infection
2.smoking
3.immuno-deficient states.
pap test should not be done during menstruation,it should preferably be done within the first 10 days counting from the first date of menstrual bleeding.
RESULTS OF PAP SMEAR:1.no abnormality
2.ASC-US:[atypical squamous cells of unknown signigicance] most of these cases resole without treatment.So the standard protocol is to reprat pap smear after 4-6 months.If abnormality persists even in the repeat smear,then colposcopy[i,ll write about this in later posts] is indicated.
3.LSIL[low grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion]:these cases have more or less a 30% chance of having a serious lesion.Colposcopy should be done.
4.HSIL[HIGH GRADE SQUAMOUS INTRA-EPITHELIAL LESION]:THESE ARE SERIOUS ABNORMALITIES AND SHOULD BE ALWAYS THOROUGHLY EVALUATED WITH COLPOSCOPY.
For further information on this, please post a comment or consult your health care provider.You can also visit mediline/003911.htm>here
