Abnormal Papanicolaou Smear

Excerpt

Cervical cancer screening has become one of the cornerstones of preventative screening in the gynecological world. George Papanicolaou invented this screening event, hence the name "Pap" smear, and was first used in 1943. The test collects cervical cells near the cervical transitional (transformation) zone and determines if any of them have precancerous changes. Since 1943, few classification systems have been put in place to detail the different types of collected cells; the current system followed in the United States is the 2014 Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical Cytology.

Guidelines for Pap smear testing frequency vary between the United States Preventative Service Task Force and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists but are recommended for women between 21 and 65. Screening is not recommended for those younger than 21. The prevalence of abnormal Pap smears is around 3.8%. At least 50 million Pap smears are performed yearly. In 2019, there were an estimated 13,000 women diagnosed with cervical cancer and 4000 women who died from cervical cancer.