#Cervical Smear Test

[ijcimr]

Prevalence of cervical epithelial cell dysfunction in Papanicolaou smears reports in low-risk population referred to Imam Reza hospital by Dr. Nahid Arian pour in International Journal of Clinical Images and Medical Reviews

Abstract

Background: Epithelial cell abnormality is the outcome of a viral infection. Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the main causative agent of cervical dysplasia. Cervical dysplasia caused as a consequence of infection by this sexually transmitted virus is characterized by abnormal cells on the cervix.

Various laboratory tests with varying specificity and sensitivity, have been set for diagnosis. The present study has been carried out in order to determine the prevalence rate of cervical epithelial cell dysfunction in Papanicolaou (Pap) smear reports in low risk population referred to Imam Reza hospital- Tehran- Iran from January 2019 till August 2020.

Methods: 676 women of low risk group referring to obstetrics and gynecology clinic - Imam Reza hospital- Tehran –Iran since January 2019 till August 2020 were the study cases. Information regarding presence of atrophy while examination, erosion, cervicitis, infection, Polyp, abnormal vascularity, candidiasis was collected from patients and were recorded in a check list. Patient's sample (pap smear) was collected for pathological examination. Data were analyzed by SPSS software.

Results: Pap smear examination revealed 662 out of 676 (97.5%) cases had no abnormality in cervical epithelial cells. In 12 cases abnormality was of ASCUS type (%1.77).

Conclusion: Results of Pap smear test revealed low frequency of cervical epithelial cell abnormality among low risk group. Out of the influencing factors, cervicitis, followed by erosion, abnormal vascularity and infection seem to be more common.

Key Words- Pap smear, Low risk group, Bethesda system, ASCUS, LSIL, HSIL, Cervical Dysplasia, Cervical Smear Test.

Introduction

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable malignancies among human cancers. Infection of the uterine cervix with human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main causative agent of cervical cancer [1]. About 15 high-risk types of human papilloma virus have been identified, which are responsible for cervical neoplasia and other related cancers [2]. Cervical cancer with worldwide distribution, though a preventable disease, is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women [1]. High risk HPV types lead to higher risk of developing cervical cancer compared to low risk types or are not being infected with HPV, at all [1]. The main characteristics of cervical dysplasia following infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) is abnormal cells on the cervix. The main screening strategy to reduce cervical cancer incidence is to detect precancerous lesions that can be treated before evolving to cancer [3]. Detection of cervical pre-cancer lesions can be achieved on the basis of cytology, implemented decades ago, or by HPV screening for women aged 30 years or older [1]. In most industrial countries cytology-based prevention programs, led to a significant reduction in the incidence and mortality from cervical cancer [1]. In other words, screening reduced the incidence of cervical cancer by at least 60%, and cancer specific mortality by 20–60% [4]. Papanicolaou (Pap) test, both conventional and liquid type, is routinely used to detect cervical epithelial cell abnormality [5]. In spite of its merits as a diagnostic and screening test, Pap test is not 100% accurate [3]. The present study has been carried out in order to determine the prevalence rate of cervical epithelial cell dysfunction in Papanicolaou (Pap) smear reports in low risk population referred to Imam Reza hospital- Tehran- Iran from January 2019 till August 2020.

Materials and Methods

Patient selection: 676 patients referring to obstetrics and gynecology clinic of Imam Reza hospital, Tehran – Iran from January 2019 till August 2020 were the study cases. The patients were included in the study on the basis of the inclusion criteria.

Inclusion criteria: Absence of risk factors for cervical cancer including having single partnership, pap smear test performed by a particular pathology laboratory, low risk cases.

Exclusion criteria : Multiple sex partners of herself or husband, pap smear test performed by other pathology laboratories, immune-suppressed patients, patients diagnosed suffering genital wart, presence of previous epithelial cell abnormality in PAP tests performed earlier, use of vaginal lubricant, gel or any cream or having intercourse 48 hours prior to sample collection, previous positive HPV test.

Study cases: Patients' age ranged from 20 up to 79 years. All the cases were married with different number of children born by Normal Vaginal Delivery (NVD) or cesarean section or both.

Methodology: Patients were examined for the presence of infection and any macroscopic abnormality. A pap smear was collected from every patient. An expert performed the PAP test sampling and fixation throughout the study to minimize the errors. Patients were asked to get the pathological examination of the smear done from a specific laboratory.

A questionnaire containing questions regarding the age, marriage age, number of sex partners, number of deliveries and abortions, kind of contraceptives used, … was filled by every patient. Result of pap smear and cervix outlook are the parameters considered in this study. A consent form was signed by each patient. Patients̛ grouping and complications are presented in Table 1. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis of the data.

Table 1: Common complications of different age groups.

Results

Study cases: Patients' age ranged from 20 up to 79 years with mean and median of 40±13.62 and 40.69±13.62 years respectively. Kolmogorov-Smirnov [6] and Shapiro-Wilk [7] tests indicate a normal distribution of the data (p>0.05). All the patients were married. Mean and median of their marriage age were 20±3.987 and 19.97±3.987 years respectively. Their minimum and maximum marriage age were 12 and 43 years respectively. Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests indicate a normal distribution of the data of this variable (p>0.05). 97.5% of patients had one sex partner while 2.4% cases had married for the second time (considered as 2 partners). One case did not answer this question. 46.4% of patients had normal cervix. According to the information obtained from the questionnaire, 163 cases had given birth to child by both vaginal (41.5%) as well as cesarean section (58.5%) and 37 cases (18.5%) had no history of delivery. Maximum and minimum normal vaginal delivery were 8 and 0 respectively. 77 cases had delivery one year after first intercourse, while 2, 56,17, 7, 3 and 1 cases delivered their first child one and half, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 years after the first intercourse, respectively. Total number of abortions reported was 170 out of 676 cases. Microscopic examination of pap smears revealed 662 out of 676 (97.5%) cases had no abnormality in cervical epithelial cells (Table 2). Microscopic findings of patients‘ sample are also illustrated in Table 2 revealing that 14 (%2.07) patients showed epithelial cell abnormality in their pap smears:  In 12 cases abnormality was of ASCUS type (%1.77). No patients had HSIL, 2 patients had LSIL, one in each age groups of 30-39 and 40-49 years. 16.1% of cases suffered cervical atrophy, 2 cases had vaginosis and 2 patients were infected with Candida. The commonest complication in this group was cervicitis which was observed in 6 cases, erosion was observed in 4 cases and infection due to Candidiasis in 2 cases, atrophy was observed by direct observation in 1 case. Out of these 14 cases, 3 had normal vaginal examination. The mean of ASCUS cases was 4.44 that was found in age group of 60-69 years. The marriage age was the only influencing variable on mild form (p<0.05) with about 9% increase in it.

Table 2: Cases with Normal epithelium

Different types of contraceptives used by patients are presented in Figure I. test was used to find out if the type of contraceptive used and inflammation caused while collecting sample for Pap smear are co-related. The statistical analysis using Phi test with Phi correlation coefficient of 0.175 and Cramer correlation coefficient of 0.087 indicates a non- significant relationship.

χ2 test was used to find out if the type of delivery and inflammation caused while collecting sample for Pap smear are co-related. The value of 5.36 indicates that there is non- significant relationship.

To find out if the number of deliveries and inflammation caused while collecting sample for Pap smear are co-related, χ2 test was used. Pearson Chi-Square test with 44 degrees of freedom is equal to 67.53 which is significant at 5% level. Their co-relation on the basis of Phi test with Phi correlation coefficient of 0.350 and Cramer correlation coefficient of 0.175 indicates a significant correlation.

To find out if the number of abortions and inflammation caused while collecting sample for Pap smear are co-related we used χ2 test. Pearson Chi-Square test shows a non- significant relationship. Their co-relation on the basis of Phi test with Phi correlation coefficient of 0.162 and Cramer correlation coefficient of 0.081 is non-significant.

To find out the relationship between patients' age and inflammation due to sample collection for PAP test using  relation coefficient, shows a weak significant relationship.

To find out the strongest relationship for a particular variable, scatter diagram – 1 is drawn. According to the scatter diagram - 1, age is the only determinant factor for ASCUS (p<0.05) and no other factor is so effective.  Also, by a single year increase in the age, the rate of ASCUS increases up to 8%; which is equal to 1.083 times its probability. Thereby, chance of infection increases by 8 percent for single unit increase in the age. 19.1% of all patients had mild inflammation, 23.8% had moderate and 7.2% suffered severe form of inflammation. Scatter diagram – 2 is drawn to study the correlations between the studied variables and to determine which variables are related. Logistic regression outcome reveals none of the studied variables has any effect on LSIL as the significance value of all the studied variables is more than 0.05. 50.1 percent had normal pap smear.

Figure 1: Type of contraceptive used by patients IUD= Intra Uterine Device OCP= Oral contraceptive pills, WD=withdrawal COND= condom TL= Tubal ligation VAS=Vasectomy

Scattered Diagram 1- Relationship between age and type of��epithelial abnormality

Scattered Diagram 2

Discussion

Cervical cancer with an estimated 604,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths is the fourth cause of cancer death worldwide in 2020 [8]. Globally,528 000 new cases of this cancer were diagnosed in 2012; of these, about 85%, occurred in less developed parts of the world and 266000 women died of it throughout the world. In another word, 231000 women who lived in low- to middle income countries died of this type of cancer. While, only 35 000, or just 1 in 10 women suffering from cervical cancer lived and died in high-income countries [3]. Cervical cancer is one of the preventable cancers involving primary (HPV vaccine) and secondary (screening) preventive measures. More than 30% of women of low middle income countries (LMICs) had received HPV vaccination programs compared with less than 80% of high-income countries [8]. In Iran, this viral infection and its resultant disease has also been reported and nation-wide screening program has been performed since 1980s. In the present study, out of 676 study cases, 97.8% had normal epithelial cell and 46.45 percent cases had normal cervix examination. Only 2.2% of our patients suffered from signs related to epithelial cell abnormality.

According to Majidi et al. (2016) incidence of cervical cancer is low in Iran [9]. Crosbie et al. (2013) estimated average prevalence rate of cervical infection with HPV at a given point, and at any time is about 10·4%, with higher prevalence rate (16·9%) in women younger than 25 years. [2]. In contrast to Crosbie et al s findings, our findings indicate a lower incidence rate as our patients are chosen from low-risk population i.e. almost all are of ASCUS type. In Iran, like many other countries, routine screening for cervical cancer is based on the microscopic examination of smears collected from the cervical mucosa, performed by conventional Pap smear test. Screening by cervical cytology in United States in the mid20th century reduced mortality from squamous cell cervical cancer [10]. More so, it led to increased number of women being identified with HPV-negative, ASCUS-cytology results [11], as is the case in the present study. Whilst cervical cancer, once the most frequent cause of cancer death in women, now ranks 14th for cancer deaths [11]. High-quality screening with cytology (Pap testing) has markedly reduced mortality from squamous cell cervical cancer, which comprises 80–90% of cervical cancers [9-11].

Screening interval that varies between countries, is an important issue. Cervical screening is performed every 3 years in the United States, New Zealand, and Norway, while its interval is 5 years in Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands [12]. In Iran, annual cervical cancer screening program was performed for age range of 20 to 65 years. Since 2017, it changed to 3 year intervals for women at the age of 30 to 59, following three consecutive normal results. Sawaya and Smith-McCune (2007) suggested that molecular DNA test performed for HPV diagnosis every 10 years for women at the age of 35 years and more is preferred as DNA HPV test is a novel and effective screening method [13]. There is no doubt that such screening programs reduce the incidence and mortality rate of cervical cancer, globally [13].

Starting age of screening also varies in different countries. Screening starts at the age of 25 in United Kingdom, France, Italy and Portugal and at the age of 21 in the United States and Canada [12]. Cervical cancer screening in countries like Finland, Korea, the Netherlands and China begins at the age of 30 to 35 years [12]; while according to National Health service, cervical screening program is to be done every three years for women between the age of 25 - 49 years and every five years for women past 50 [14]. In spite of previous recommendation of annual or biannual cervical screening, as it seems that annual screening is of little benefit and leads to increased cost (15), some guidelines in Great Britain, recommended every three years for women under 50, and every five years for those who have passed fifty [14]. In the present study, patients' age ranged from 20 to 79 years. Based on the fact that the incidence of cervical cancer in Iran is low compared to other geographical areas, we recommend three-year interval for healthy women with no history of cytological screening.

CONCLUSIONS

Worldwide, cervical cancer is a common and deadly cancer among women. Screening programs and effective treatment of precancerous lesions are available to treat the patients. In most cases, slow progression of precancerous lesions, are accompanied by abnormal cells which are detected in Pap test. The cervical screening program using the Pap smear procedure has an influencing role in reducing the incidence and mortality rate of invasive cervical cancer in many countries, including Iran. The incidence of cervical cancer is low in Iran although its mortality is remarkable. In Iran, cervical cancer screening program was performed annually in the age range of 20 to 65 previously. Since 2017 screening is performed for women at the age of 30 to 59 at 3 year intervals after three consecutive normal results.

Conflict of interest

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

 Acknowledgments

Authors thank all patients who cooperated with us in publishing the data.

For more details: https://ijcimr.org/editorial-board/

[pepsi-maxwell]

how the FUCK do you get nasal bacteria in your cunt???

[emmashouldbewriting]

Celebrating the second best outcome possible of my colposcopy with a strawberry éclair.

I have mild cell changes (first grade) in some awkward spots. If the biopsies show what she thinks, it's a discharge to yearly smears to monitor. For the first time in weeks, I can breathe a little.

So I will eat my cake, drink my wine, and work from the sofa for the next few days to be kind to myself. Shout out to my period for waiting until the actual procedure to show up 🫣😂

I also got a new reader in one of the nurses and you'd be surprised how often that happens 🤷‍♀️😂

Oh. AND GO GET YOUR SMEAR TEST.

[wild-at-mind]

Maybe I will get top surgery purely to avoid dealing with mammogram appointments in whatever state the NHS is in by the time I reach the age to get them!!

[tv-taughtmehowtofeel]

“The smear test may be uncomfortable, but should not hurt.”

*literally experiences the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my life, leaves appointment crying*

[drshwetamendirattagynae]

Cervical cancer prevention relies heavily on Pap smears and HPV screening. Despite their importance, misconceptions abound, causing unnecessary fear and confusion. This article aims to debunk common myths about Pap smears and HPV screening, promoting informed decision-making and encouraging women to take charge of their reproductive health.

[munsonsduchess]

They’re uncomfy for a couple seconds but it’s so so important

Attn: People With Cervixes!

When was your last Pap smear?

Because I am tired of seeing young people (think 40 year olds!) die horribly of an almost completely preventable disease, and I haven't seen the obligatory Tumblr PSA about it, so I'm making my own.

1. CERVICAL CANCER IS REALLY BAD

Cancers that have a good prognosis are usually cancers that can be caught early--like skin cancer, which is easily seen, and therefore usually treated very early. Cervical cancer does not give you symptoms until you have very advanced disease, which means unless someone is regularly testing your cervix, you will likely not be diagnosed early. More than half of people diagnosed with cervical cancer present with advanced disease. 75% of them will be dead within 5 years. For comparison, when caught in the earliest stage, there is a 90% 5 year survival rate. Treatment for those diagnosed is chemo and radiation, and believe me, those are not fun. If you do happen to be in the lucky 25% of survivors, if your cancer comes back, you have an 85% chance of dying within a year. Also! We think of cancer as something that happens to old people, but the average age of diagnosis for cervical cancer is 50.

2. WHO GETS CERVICAL CANCER?

Cervical cancer used to be the most common cause of cancer-related death in women in America, but at this point it's basically a disease of People Without Pap Smears--developing countries, immigrants, low socioeconomic status, BIPOC, rural communities, LGBTQ, etc.

3. HOW DO PAP SMEARS SAVE YOUR LIFE?

A Pap smear is a screening test for two things: HPV, and your cervical cells. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the world. Literally half of the people in America have some strain of HPV on their body. Most HPV infections go away on their own (in people with healthy immune systems), but some strains are Very Bad, and some people are just Very Unlucky, and the HPV starts causing your cervical cells to turn cancerous. 91% of all cervical cancers are caused by HPV. So a Pap smear looks to see if your have HPV, and if so, is it one of the bad ones? And also, do you have any cancerous cells hanging about in your cervix? And! It takes 10-30 years for HPV to turn those cells into cancer, which means you have a really really long time to catch it before it becomes cancer and cut those pre-cancer cells out!

4. WHAT ABOUT THAT VACCINE?

The thing my dad said I shouldn't get because it might make me a slut. Yes! There is an HPV vaccine! You should get it! It protects you against the nine most common cancer-causing types of HPV. It's recommended starting at age 11, and you can get it up to age 45 now! (It used to be 26, but as of 2020, it's now extended.)You can get it from most primary care doctors, or from Planned Parenthood, CVS, Walgreens, etc. If you get the vaccine you still need Pap smears.

5. I HEARD YOU CAN ONLY GET THE VACCINE IF YOU'RE A VIRGIN

Fake news. While the vaccine does not treat old infections of HPV, it does prevent new ones, so while the benefits are theoretically decreased in those who have already been sexually active, it does not mean you will not benefit from having it!

6. WHO GETS PAP SMEARS?

Everyone with a cervix starting at age 21, until you lose your cervix or until you're 65. You should get them every 3-5 years (depending on your exact age and what test your doctor does).

7. BUT I GOT THE VACCINE

Nice! You still need Pap smears.

8. I HAD ONE AND IT WAS HORRIBLE/I'M SCARED OF THE EXAM

Talk to your doctor about this in advance! Good gynecologists (and other providers) will work with you to minimize discomfort as much as possible. They can use a small speculum and lots of gel, prescribe anti-anxiety medications to take in advance, and some people will even use numbing creams and/or laughing gas.

9. BUT I DON'T HAVE/CAN'T SEE A GYN

Most primary care physicians can do them! So do a lot of urgent care centers!

10. BUT I'M A LESBIAN

HPV can be transmitted through oral/genital contact, hand/genital, and even hand-to-hand-then-genital, so you still need Pap smears.

11. BUT I'M A VIRGIN/ASEXUAL

You still need Pap smears. HPV can be transmitted not just through penetrative sex, but also through oral/genital, hand/genital, and hand-to-hand-then-genital, and also 9% of cervical cancers are not caused by HPV.

12. BUT I'M A TRANSGENDER MAN

If your cervix was removed, then congrats! You do not need Pap smears. Otherwise, unfortunately, you are still at risk for cervical cancer and need to be screened.

13. BUT I'M A TRANSGENDER WOMAN

Neovaginas do not need Pap smears! Congrats! Consider getting the vaccine, though, to prevent spreading HPV to others.

14. BUT I'M A CIS-GENDERED MAN

Congrats! You do not need Pap smears! You should still consider the vaccine though, not only to prevent the spread of HPV to others, but also because HPV causes 50% of all penile cancers as well.

In summary: please please please go get your pap smear. Go get vaccinated. The spread of HPV can be prevented, and cervical cancer can be caught and treated before it even becomes cancer.

DON'T FEAR THE SMEAR

[ganitsoni]

Understanding Breast Cancer Treatment: Exploring Surgeries and Therapies

Breast cancer is a serious illness that requires careful treatment. There are different ways to treat breast cancer, including surgeries and therapies. In this article, we'll look at the types of surgeries and therapies used to treat breast cancer. We'll explain what they are, how they work, and why they're important.

Types of Surgeries:

Lumpectomy: A lumpectomy is a surgery where doctors remove the tumor and a small amount of surrounding healthy tissue from the breast. It's often used for early-stage breast cancer to help keep as much of the breast as possible.

Mastectomy: Mastectomy is when doctors remove the whole breast to treat breast cancer. There are different types of mastectomy, depending on how much tissue is removed.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: This surgery helps doctors see if the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. Doctors find and remove a few lymph nodes to check for cancer cells.

Types of Therapies:

Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy uses special beams to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. It's often used after surgery to make sure any leftover cancer cells are gone.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is when patients take special drugs to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. It's used before or after surgery to help get rid of cancer cells and prevent them from coming back.

Hormone Therapy: Hormone therapy blocks hormones that can make breast cancer grow. It's used for hormone-sensitive breast cancer to stop cancer cells from growing.

Targeted Therapy: Targeted therapy attacks specific parts of cancer cells to stop them from growing. It's a newer type of treatment that can be very effective for certain types of breast cancer. Combination Therapies:

Neoadjuvant Therapy: This therapy is given before surgery to shrink tumors and make them easier to remove. It helps make surgery more successful.

Adjuvant Therapy: Adjuvant therapy is given after surgery to help lower the risk of cancer coming back. It can include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or targeted therapy.

Conclusion: Breast cancer treatment is complex, but there are many ways to fight it. Surgeries and therapies play a big role in helping people beat breast cancer. By understanding the different types of surgeries and therapies available, patients and their doctors can work together to come up with the best treatment plan for each person. With the right treatment, many people with breast cancer can go on to live long, healthy lives.

[ganitsoni9951]

Understanding Cervical Cancer Treatment in Hyderabad

Cervical cancer is a significant health issue for women in Hyderabad, India. However, with advancements in medical science, there are more treatment options available. Dr. Chinnababu, a renowned oncologist, is leading the way in providing effective treatments for cervical cancer patients in Hyderabad.

What is Cervical Cancer?

Cervical cancer starts in the cells of the cervix, the lower part of the uterus. It is usually caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), but other factors like smoking and weakened immune systems can also contribute. Early detection is crucial for successful treatment.

Diagnosis

In Hyderabad, doctors use various tests to diagnose cervical cancer. These include Pap smears, HPV testing, colposcopy, and biopsy. These tests help doctors determine the stage and severity of the cancer, which guides treatment decisions.

Treatment Options

Treatment for cervical cancer depends on the stage of the disease and the patient's overall health. In Hyderabad, patients have access to several treatment options:

Surgery: Surgery may be recommended for early-stage cervical cancer. It can involve removing the cancerous tissue or the entire uterus. Dr. Chinnababu specializes in minimally invasive surgeries, which have shorter recovery times and fewer complications.

Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. It can be delivered externally or internally through brachytherapy. Hyderabad has advanced radiation therapy equipment to deliver precise treatment.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. It can be given alone or in combination with other treatments. Dr. Chinnababu designs personalized chemotherapy plans for each patient.

Targeted Therapy: Targeted therapy targets specific molecules involved in cancer growth. It can be used for advanced or recurrent cervical cancer. Immunotherapy is a type of targeted therapy that boosts the body's immune system to fight cancer cells.

Conclusion

Cervical cancer treatment in Hyderabad offers hope for patients. Dr. Chinnababu and his team are dedicated to providing the best care possible. If you or someone you know is diagnosed with cervical cancer, don't hesitate to seek medical advice and explore treatment options available in Hyderabad. Early detection and personalized treatment plans can improve outcomes and quality of life for cervical cancer patients.

[harmandip]

4 Essential Health Tests Every Woman Should Prioritize

Mammogram for Breast Health: Breast cancer is a significant health concern for women worldwide. Regular mammograms, typically recommended annually for women over 40, are vital for early detection. Early diagnosis significantly improves the chances of successful treatment. Women with a family history of breast cancer may need to start screenings earlier, and open communication with healthcare…

[biromanatees-like-cats]

Uggggh seeing smear test awareness stuff is never fun. I won't go on about my experience because hey, I've got young followers who need to not be put off lol, but for my personal anatomical reasons it has not been fun. I had it successfully completed once. That'll do.

But also! In England at least, you can actually be referred to the hospital to get it done with laughing gas. In terms of lack of pain, 9/10 experience; try for it if you can!!

[emmashouldbewriting]

It's Cervical Screening Awareness Week, which seems very fitting for me, so here's your reminder to book your smear test.

A few minutes of discomfort is better than the alternative.

[rachaelstray]

Cervical screening (smear test) what to expect

I had my cervical screening (smear test) recently so thought I’d share my experience and let you know what to expect. A couple of weeks before Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (20th-26th January) I received my invitation letter to remind me to book my cervical screening appointment and I’ll admit I put the letter down and forgot about it! Once I saw the posts on social media during Cervical Cancer…

[healthaura]

"IS A PAP SMEAR(PAP TEST) PAINFUL? UNDERSTANDING THE PROCEDURE AND ITS POTENTIAL DISCOMFORT"

A Pap smear, also known as a Pap test, is a routine lifesaving screening tool for cervical cancer that many women fear. Dr. George Papanicolaou an American physician developed the Pap smear. Around the world, many women go through the test and It’s only natural to have concerns and worries about whether or not it’s going to be painful, How does it happen, and why is it important ? and that’s…

[femanthropy]

Gynaecology is backward. Honestly. Speculums, IUDs without sedation and adequate pain relief, cervical biopsies without sedation and adequate pain relief, refusal to diagnose things such as endometriosis. Medical gaslighting. Student hospitals performing smear tests on female patients who have gone into surgery for unrelated issues to “practice”.

IMO an IUD and also cervical biopsies should be considered surgery because in the case of IUDs, you are putting an object through the vaginal canal and into the uterus is invasive and literally a procedure done inside the body.

a Reddit post about gynaecology being backward

[kleefkruid]

Hey, so, medical update:

So as I told two weeks ago I had surgery where they cut part of my crevix because the cells where one stage away from turning cancerous (CIN3)

Today I received the results from the lab, where they analyzed the tissue in detail. and the first thing the doctor said was “so we got there in time!”

Turns out I had an adenocarcinoma in situ, which are non-invasive cancerous cells, which haven’t had the chance to break out of their protective membrane aka they couldn’t do real damage and all the things cancer does.

She showed me this image and pointed to the black line between CIN3 and cancer and said “we were here, right before the break out”

My specific situation was a 1 in a 100.000 apparently, which, eh, crazy

Very odd to hear you have cancerous cells after they got fully removed. Can’t compare my situation to someone who had to get full chemo, but it’s sure not a normal situation either so I’ll have to unpack this later.

But yeah as it stands now I have to get a pap smear every 6 months to make sure the HPV doesn’t try to start the party all over again.

Which brings me to repeat once again: if you’re eligible for getting a pap smear test please have them done bc cervical cancer doesn’t show symptoms until the very late stage, this is your only way to know!