Gynecological exams are extremely important
As we are able to screen for cervical cancer, HPV (the virus that causes cervical cancer), many infections (including sexually transmitted diseases) and many other problems and treat them early before any problems arise.
The Pap smear or “Papanikolaou” was invented in the early 1900s by Dr. Georgios Papanikolaou. It is a very important test as it can check for early changes in the cervix that may lead to cervical if not treated in a timely fashion.
Cervical cancer is caused by a virus called HPV, when this virus attacks the cervical cells changes occur. Early changes in the cervix are known as low grade squamous intraepitheal lesion (LGSIL), where later changes are known as high grade squamous epithelial lesion (HGSIL). It takes several years from the time these changes begin to happen until the development of cervical cancer. This is why early detection with a pap smear is so important. At HealthCare now we use the ThinPrep Pap which is the latest technology available.
