A test that can prevent up to 9 out of 10 cases of cervical cancer.
What is it?
Cervical cancer screening is a method of cancer prevention by detecting and treating early abnormalities that, if left untreated, could lead to cervical cancer. Up to 9 out of 10 cases of invasive cancer can be prevented through screening. The target group is women aged 23-64.
This is a simple and quick examination, after which the gynaecologist sends the cervical smear to a cytology laboratory for analysis.
There are two different tests that are recommended for cervical cancer screening. The oldest and most widely used test, the cytology or PAP (Papanicolaou) test, involves taking a sample of cells from the surface of the cervix and sending them to a laboratory for examination under a microscope. A newer test used in certain screening programmes checks for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, as almost all cases of cervical cancer come from chronic HPV infection. Using both tests together is not recommended unless one test (PAP test or HPV test) is positive.