What is the Value of Exfoliative Cytology?
Exfoliative cytology, also called cytopathology, is the analysis of cells shed from the body. Such cells might be present on skin, as for example, a skin lesion, or more commonly, a small amount of tissue is extracted from the mouth or cervix to evaluate cells for cancer. Exfoliative cytology can be extremely beneficial, and has been shown to significantly reduce cancer deaths that can be ruled out by Pap smears.
