Pap Smear News and Research

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The Pap test, also called a Pap smear, checks for changes in the cells of your cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb) that opens into the vagina (birth canal). The Pap test can tell if you have an infection, abnormal (unhealthy) cervical cells, or cervical cancer.

Combo of testing and vaccines a winner in fight against cervical cancer

According to experts in reproductive health, the combination of HPV testing with HPV vaccines is the best hope for preventing cervical cancer.

1 May 2006

Studies show HPV testing is more sensitive than current screening methods

The current technique for screening for cervical cancer involves collecting cells by way of a pap smear and examining them under a microscope. Although this method has reduced cervical cancer in countries where it is regularly used, it has several weaknesses.

3 Apr 2006

Human papillomavirus the main risk factor for cervical adenocarcinoma

Human papillomavirus (HPV) was found to be the main risk factor associated with increased incidence of an unusual type of cervical cancer called cervical adenocarcinoma, according to a study in the March 1 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

1 Mar 2006

New system accurately predicts mortality of older Americans

Researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center have created an index that is 81 percent accurate in predicting the likelihood of death within four years for people 50 and older.

20 Feb 2006

Cost-effectiveness analysis of HPV testing

A new study has found that using human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing to determine who should receive a cervical examination called colposcopy is a cost-effective management strategy for women with equivocal Pap test results known as ASCUS (atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance).

18 Jan 2006

Study reveals treatment and screening inequalities for patients with mental health problems

Patients with mental health problems may not be receiving the appropriate screening or treatments for illnesses including heart disease and stroke, a report from The University of Nottingham has shown.

7 Dec 2005

Two tests in a lifetime will halve cervical cancer numbers in poor countries

Most women in developed countries are regularly screened for cervical cancer, but this is often not the case in poorer countries.

20 Nov 2005

Rapid screen-and-treat methods significantly reduce cervical cancer precursor lesions

A new study led by Columbia University Medical Center researchers demonstrates the safety and efficacy of two low-tech diagnostic tools to significantly reduce the prevalence of cervical cancer precursor lesions.

3 Nov 2005

Updated vaccine against cervical cancer provides longer sustainable response

Drug company GlaxoSmithKline says that it's updated vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV), has produced a stronger immune response, than the original formula of the vaccine.

2 Nov 2005

Cervical cancer vaccine shows promising results but smear tests still vital

Hopes of an end to routine smear testing have been raised by promising results achieved by a prototype cervical cancer vaccine.

16 Oct 2005

Frequency and cause of errors in cancer diagnosis

Procedures used to obtain and examine tissue for cancer diagnosis are prone to error that frequently results in harm, according to a new study published in the November 15, 2005 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

10 Oct 2005

Colorectal cancer screening rates are too low

An intervention program designed to promote screening for colorectal cancer – and thereby decrease the number of cancers diagnosed - failed to increase screening rates in the managed care setting, a University of California - Los Angeles study has found.

10 Oct 2005

Obese people are less likely to receive preventive services such as mammograms, Pap smears and flu shots

The Duke study showed that, for a sample of white middle-aged women, as body mass index (BMI) went up, the odds of receiving mammograms and Pap smears went down.

3 Aug 2005

Human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping can benefit clinical practice

A study published in the current issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) concludes that genotyping of specific high-risk types of the human papillomavirus (HPV), the cause of virtually all cases of cervical cancer, can benefit clinical practice by enabling more focused attention on women who are at highest risk, announced Digene Corporation.

26 Jul 2005

Incorporating human papillomavirus testing into cervical cancer screening will provide health benefits at a reasonable cost

Incorporating testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA into cervical cancer screening has the potential for improving health benefits at a reasonable cost in France, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, according to a new study in the June 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

14 Jun 2005

New York Hospital Director fired after cancer screening tests bungle

A flawed system at the Jacobi Medical Center in New York, which meant that hundreds of women were not informed of the results of their cancer screening tests has resulted in the firing of its executive director just a week after the slip up was discovered.

23 May 2005

Race to market cancer vaccine

In a race to market the first vaccine against the virus that causes cervical cancer and genital warts drug manufacturers Merck & Co Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline plc are in head-to-head competition.

7 Apr 2005

Women’s attitudes toward a potential cervical cancer vaccine

In a study of 200 women, a group of physicians has found that a vast majority of women would be willing to take a cervical cancer vaccine themselves and would allow it to be administered to their children.

23 Mar 2005

Women with HIV need cervical cancer check every 3 years

Tiffany G. Harris, Ph.D., from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y., and colleagues in a study to see if a single, initial human papillomavirus (HPV) test result could be used to decide how often an HIV-seropositive woman with normal cervical cytology should be screened for cervical cancer, looked at the incidence of abnormal cervical lesions among HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative women enrolled in the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS).

22 Mar 2005

Genomic DNA provides clues to new advances in cancer diagnostics

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have identified a method of assessing the malignant potential of cells based on the sensitivity of cellular DNA to enzyme digestion.

22 Mar 2005