Is Pap Test an Accurate Method of Detecting Cervical Cancer?
The Pap test, also known as the cervical smear test, was named for its inventor George Papanicolaou and is used to detect cervical cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage. Records show that since the test’s introduction in the late 1940s, the death rate from cervical cancer in North America has dropped more than 70 percent. One reason for the success of Pap tests is that most cervical cancers develop slowly; cells can take several years to become cancerous. Regular screening and pelvic exams lead to detection in plenty of time for treatment and also minimize the long-term risks of a single false-negative result. But despite this impressive achievement, some 400 North American women die each year from a disease that, doctors say, is nearly 100 percent curable if caught early. According to one survey, many American and Canadian women are not being tested, and the proportion is increasing. Inadequate testing, the misinterpretation of test results, and the failure to follow up on abno
