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.

Self-collected HPV tests match clinical screening

New data shows universal access to self-collected HPV testing boosts cervical cancer screening uptake, especially among underserved populations in Australia.

4 Feb 2026

Undergraduate researcher uncovers molecular secrets of HPV’s cancer-causing mechanisms

When Sean Fletcher walked into Sam Biswas' Medical and Molecular Sciences (MMSC) lab at the University of Delaware College of Health Sciences during the summer of his first year, he had no research or laboratory experience.

31 Oct 2025

HPV16 reprograms immune cells to weaken cancer defenses

The most common cancer-causing strain of human papillomavirus (HPV), HPV16, undermines the body's defenses by reprogramming immune cells surrounding the tumor, according to new research from the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

19 Aug 2025

Low screening rates linked to higher cervical cancer deaths in rural counties

Women in counties with repeatedly lower cervical cancer screening rates suffer nearly double the rate of cervical cancer diagnoses, particularly of late-stage disease, and death from cervical cancer, according to a new analysis from researchers at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center.

13 Aug 2025

Wastewater monitoring offers new tool for cervical cancer prevention

Scientists in Uruguay have found genotypes of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) linked to cervical cancer in urban wastewater, saying it could help inform disease prevention efforts.

22 May 2025

FDA approves at home HPV test as alternative to pap smear

The Food and Drug Administration just approved an at home test that could be an optional alternative to a yearly pap smear. The test looks for human papilloma virus, or HPV, which causes nearly all incidences of cervical cancer.

11 May 2025

The patient expected a free checkup. The bill was $1,430.

Carmen Aiken of Chicago made an appointment for an annual physical exam in July 2023, planning to get checked out and complete some blood work.

30 Apr 2025

New urine-based test holds great promise for early detection and prevention of cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women, with approximately 660,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths worldwide in 2022 alone.

8 Jul 2024

Study shows safety of extended HPV testing intervals in cervical cancer screening

The risk of detecting cervical precancer eight years after a negative human papillomavirus (HPV) screening was found to be similar to the risk after three years (the commonly recommended screening interval) after a negative cytology screening.

22 May 2024

Aptamer and Timser partner to deliver world’s first blood test for cervical cancer

Aptamer Group plc (AIM: APTA), the developer of novel Optimer® binders to enable innovation in the life sciences industry, has signed an agreement with Timser Group, a pharmaceutical company focused on women’s health, with a deal value of up to £465,000.

From Aptamer Group 22 May 2024

Out for blood? For routine lab work, the hospital billed her $2,400

Reesha Ahmed was on cloud nine. It was January and Ahmed was at an OB-GYN's office near her home in Venus, Texas, for her first prenatal checkup.

21 Nov 2023

Cervical cancer rates increasing in Appalachian Kentucky

While the overall incidence and death rates from cervical cancer have dropped in the U.S., the opposite has been occurring in Appalachian Kentucky – a steady increase. The death rate from cervical cancer in Appalachian Kentucky is now twice that of the national rate.

19 Oct 2023

TikTok can be a valuable tool for promoting cervical cancer screening

TikTok and other short-form video platforms are booming in popularity - for entertainment and for sharing information, including health information.

5 Oct 2023

Myriad Genetics survey: Women have widespread confusion and misconceptions about ovarian cancer screening

Myriad Genetics, Inc., a leader in genetic testing and precision medicine, today revealed new nationwide survey results indicating widespread confusion and misconceptions about ovarian cancer screening among a majority of women.

7 Sep 2023

BGI Genomics report: Thailand needs to take urgent action to combat cervical cancer

Only 28.5% of Thai women are diagnosed at stage I of cervical cancer when survival rates are highest, according to a study published by the Mahidol University.

31 Jul 2023

New report highlights gaps in cervical cancer awareness in Brazil

With Brazil's National Cancer Institute estimating 17,010 new cases in 2023, cervical cancer is the third leading cause of morbidity among Brazil's female population.

31 Jul 2023

Uruguay needs to increase cervical cancer screening rates to reduce mortality, report reveals

Research from the Registro Nacional de Cáncer notes that Uruguay has the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in Latin America. In particular, cervical cancer is the third leading cause of cancer related morbidity among Uruguay's female population.

26 Jul 2023

AI-based population screening could expedite the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

An artificial intelligence tool has successfully identified people at the highest risk for pancreatic cancer up to three years before diagnosis using solely the patients' medical records, according to new research led by investigators at Harvard Medical School and the University of Copenhagen, in collaboration with VA Boston Healthcare System, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

8 May 2023

Study finds alarming number of older women facing late-stage cervical cancer diagnoses and death

A new study conducted by UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers shows an alarming number of California women 65 and older are facing late-stage cervical cancer diagnoses and dying from the disease.

9 Jan 2023

When malpractice occurs at community health centers, taxpayers pay

Silvia Garcia's 14-year-old son was left permanently disabled and in a wheelchair after a community health center doctor in New Mexico failed to diagnose his appendicitis despite his complaint of severe stomach pain.

28 Nov 2022