A Pap test checks for changes in the cells of a woman’s cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus, where the uterus opens to the vagina. The test is important because it can find cancer cells or cells that may turn cancerous.

To perform a Pap test, a doctor or nurse inserts an instrument called a speculum in the vagina in order to see the cervix and take a sample of cells from inside and outside the cervix. For a satisfactory sample, it is important not to put anything, including douches or tampons, into the vagina for 2 days before the test. The cervical cells collected are smeared onto a glass slide and examined under a microscope for abnormalities.

Women should have a Pap test every 3 years at a minimum once they become sexually active or when they turn 21. However, a woman should speak with her health care professional to determine how often she should have the test based on her age, the results of previous Pap tests, her medical history, whether she has human papillomavirus (HPV), and whether she smokes. Women can stop having the tests at age 70 if the results of their Pap tests in the past 10 years have been normal, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

HPV infection is the main risk factor for cervical cancer and is often the cause of abnormal Pap test results. However, most women infected with HPV have normal Pap test results. Only a very small percentage of women with untreated HPV develop cervical cancer.

A woman who has an abnormal Pap test result may need further testing, such as colposcopy or biopsy. Colposcopy allows a doctor to look at the cervix through a device that is similar to a microscope. If he or she sees abnormal cells, a cervical biopsy may be needed.

ADDITIONAL FACTS

  1. The Greek-born physician George Papanicolaou (1883–1962) invented the Pap test, named for him, in 1928.
  2. The test was first proven to be diagnostic of cervical cancer in 1943 but was not incorporated into routine gynecologic practice until the 1950s.
  3. After the Pap test came into use, cancer of the cervix stopped being the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancer. The test’s ability to detect precancerous changes and allow for early treatment has helped make the treatment of cervical cancer a model for cancer care.