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.

New technologies can screen for cervical cancer better than Pap smears

Emerging technologies can screen for cervical cancer better than Pap smears and, if widely used, could save lives both in developing nations and parts of countries, like the United States, where access to health care may be limited.

30 Mar 2021

Study shows potential of new pinprick blood test for diagnosing HPV-related cancers

A potential breakthrough in the early detection of the neck, head and anal cancers linked to human papilloma viruses has emerged.

12 Nov 2020

NIH spearheads study to test at-home screening for HPV and cervical cancer

With a tiny brush, briefly swab the vagina to collect cells. Then slide the swab into a screening kit and drop it into the mail.

1 Jul 2020

COVID-19 batters a beloved Bay Area community health care center

A small band of volunteers started the Marin City Health and Wellness Center nearly two decades ago with a doctor and a retired social worker making house calls in public housing high-rises.

12 Jun 2020

AI-based approach may allow EKGs to be used for detecting hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

An approach based on artificial intelligence may allow EKGs to be used to screen for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the future.

18 Feb 2020

The U.S. can erase cervical cancer in two decades

Cervical cancer is preventable, thanks to the development of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Various strains of HPV, a sexually transmitted infection, play a significant role in the event of cervical cancer. Now, the U.S. can eradicate cervical cancer within the next 20 years, according to a new study.

11 Feb 2020

Study shows unnecessary Pap smear and pelvic exams common in young women

Women under the age of 21 no longer need pelvic examinations or cervical cancer screenings, a new study suggests.

7 Jan 2020

Novel home testing kit for cervical cancer could replace Pap tests

A new method of cervical cancer screening which is designed to be done by women at home could bring down the rates of cervical cancer and associated deaths. The work, presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference 2019 in Glasgow, has attracted immense attention because of its feasibility and wide acceptance.

6 Nov 2019

Inexpensive DNA test can effectively screen women for cervical cancer in low-resource settings

Cervical cancer is a major issue in low- and middle-income countries due to the lack of adequate screening such as routine Pap smear testing.

3 May 2019

WVU gynecologic oncologist investigates novel treatment for cervical and vaginal cancers

Cervical cancer can be insidious. Changes to the cervix are often detected with a pap smear, but for those with limited access to health care, cervical and vaginal cancers can go unnoticed for years--silently growing, spreading and invading other organs--and by the time they're detected, they may be so advanced that the patient's prognosis is poor and her treatment options few.

15 Feb 2019

Developing a Cervical Cancer Test That’s 100% Predictive

An interview with Professor Attila Lorincz, discussing the development of a new cervical cancer test that is able to predict cervical cancer and pre-cancer in 100% cases.

4 Feb 2019

Young women skipping the Pap smear test due to embarrassment

The Pap smear test is one of the easiest ways to screen young women for cervical cancer. Cervical cancer kills thousands of women and if detected early can be treated successfully. A new problem has arisen however with the smear test. Many young women are embarrassed about getting a Pap smear test routinely to screen against cervical cancer.

22 Jan 2019

New test shown to be 100% effective at detecting cervical cancer

Researchers have developed a new cervical cancer test that proved to be 100% effective at detecting the cancer in a trial of 15,744 participants.

19 Dec 2018

New 'epigenetics-based' cervical cancer test outperforms Pap smear and HPV tests

A new test for cervical cancer was found to detect all of the cancers in a randomized clinical screening trial of 15,744 women, outperforming both the current Pap smear and human papillomavirus test at a reduced cost, according to a study led by Queen Mary University of London.

17 Dec 2018

Cervical cancer risk is higher in women with positive HPV, but no cellular abnormalities

Researchers have uncovered an increased risk of cervical cancer in women whose cervical cells test positive for certain high-risk human papillomavirus types but do not show any signs of cellular abnormalities.

10 Dec 2018

Mailing self-collection HPV kits has potential to boost cervical cancer screening

University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers have found that mailing self-collection kits to test for high-risk human papillomavirus infection has the potential to boost cervical cancer screening - especially for low-income women who are overdue for testing.

7 Nov 2018