Cervical cancer screening

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Abstract
Invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix is no longer the leading cause of cancer-related death in women, thanks to widespread use of the cervical Pap test. This is not to say that cervical cancer no longer poses a grave threat to sexually active women between 18 and 60 years of age. Indeed, Canadian physicians Benedet and Murphy report that the incidence of preclinical disease appears to be on the rise in women in their mid or late 20s. In an effort to assure the demonstrated effectiveness of cytologic screening in curbing the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer, the authors of this article discuss risk factors and recommendations on the frequency of testing plus such practical matters as properly obtaining tissue specimens, fixing smears, and preparing a Pap smear report.