Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women. Globally more than
460,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and over 300,000
succumb to the disease. With proper screening, cervical cancer is preventable,
detectable and a treatable form of cancer.
There are a number of processes involved in cervical screening: preparation,
classification, and screening methods.
The smear test is used to take a sample of cells from the cervix for analysis. A
doctor or nurse inserts a speculum to the open vagina and uses a spatula to sweep
around the cervix and take a sample of cells. These cells are then smeared across
a slide.
The Papanicolaou Smear (Pap test) was first introduced into clinical practice in 1954. The
introduction of the Pap test immediately resulted in a significant reduction in mortality
rates caused by cervical cancer. Presently, the Pap test is still the most
commonly used screening method. The widespread us of the Pap test for the detection of cervical
cancer has permitted effective curative therapy for patients.
There are two classification systems applied to cervical screening: The Bethesda System
and the CIN System. The older CIN System is currently being replaced in most of the world
with the newer Bethesda System. These systems provide a standard for reporting the diagnostic
content of a cervical smear.
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