Pap smear how many times

They are likely to continue to change as scientists and researchers make advances in detecting early-stage cancer. Most people can have a Pap smear every 3 years. That timing may expand a bit after age 30, and HPV tests may be used in place of or in conjunction with Pap tests. Regular Pap smears remain an essential screening tool. While the test may be uncomfortable, it is vital to have timely tests so that any changes can be detected early, and treatment can begin.

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We explain the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of this chronic condition. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Carolyn Kay, M. Frequency of testing Exceptions What Pap smears check for How to advocate for yourself Takeaway A Pap smear, also called a Pap test, is a screening procedure that can detect cervical cancer.

You'll lie down on your back on an exam table with your knees bent. Your heels rest in supports called stirrups. Your doctor will gently insert an instrument called a speculum into your vagina. The speculum holds the walls of your vagina apart so that your doctor can easily see your cervix.

Inserting the speculum may cause a sensation of pressure in your pelvic area. Then your doctor will take samples of your cervical cells using a soft brush and a flat scraping device called a spatula. This usually doesn't hurt. Depending on the type of Pap testing you're undergoing, your doctor transfers the cell sample collected from your cervix into a container holding a special liquid to preserve the sample liquid-based Pap test or onto a glass slide conventional Pap smear.

The samples are transferred to a laboratory where they're examined under a microscope to look for characteristics in the cells that indicate cancer or a precancerous condition. If only normal cervical cells were discovered during your Pap smear, you're said to have a negative result. You won't need any further treatment or testing until you're due for your next Pap smear and pelvic exam.

If abnormal or unusual cells were discovered during your Pap smear, you're said to have a positive result. A positive result doesn't mean you have cervical cancer. What a positive result means depends on the type of cells discovered in your test. Squamous cells are thin and flat and grow on the surface of a healthy cervix.

In the case of ASCUS, the Pap smear reveals slightly abnormal squamous cells, but the changes don't clearly suggest that precancerous cells are present. With the liquid-based test, your doctor can reanalyze the sample to check for the presence of viruses known to promote the development of cancer, such as some types of human papillomavirus HPV.

If no high-risk viruses are present, the abnormal cells found as a result of the test aren't of great concern. If worrisome viruses are present, you'll need further testing. Squamous intraepithelial lesion. This term is used to indicate that the cells collected from the Pap smear may be precancerous. If the changes are low grade, it means the size, shape and other characteristics of the cells suggest that if a precancerous lesion is present, it's likely to be years away from becoming a cancer.

If the changes are high grade, there's a greater chance that the lesion may develop into cancer much sooner. Additional diagnostic testing is necessary.

Atypical glandular cells. Glandular cells produce mucus and grow in the opening of your cervix and within your uterus. Atypical glandular cells may appear to be slightly abnormal, but it's unclear whether they're cancerous.

Squamous cell cancer or adenocarcinoma cells. This result means the cells collected for the Pap smear appear so abnormal that the pathologist is almost certain a cancer is present. If such cells are found, your doctor will recommend prompt evaluation. If your Pap smear is abnormal, your doctor may perform a procedure called colposcopy using a special magnifying instrument colposcope to examine the tissues of the cervix, vagina and vulva.

Your doctor also may take a tissue sample biopsy from any areas that appear abnormal. We perform pelvic exams to look for specific illnesses and check on the health of your female organs. A Pap smear is a screening test for cervical cancer. We collect cells outside the cervix, and then we have them examined. This test is often done as part of a pelvic exam. To perform a Pap smear, we use a medical instrument called a speculum.

Some people call it the duck, because it looks kind of like duck bills. The speculum, once inserted into the vagina, allows me to see the cervix.

Once I can see the cervix, I use a little brush which looks like a mascara brush to swab the outside of the cervix and collect cells. This will feel like a little tickle or a gentle scratch — again, more uncomfortable than painful. The process of collecting the cell sample takes just a few minutes. The pathologist looks for changes to the cells which could turn into cervical cancer.

Usually we have results from the pathologist back in a few days. Pap smears are no longer required for women who are over age 65 or who have had a hysterectomy for benign reasons.