How Important is a Cervical Screening Test New article

Cervical cancer is a form of cancer which can be discovered and prevented before it starts to develop.

Performing a routine cervical screening helps prevent cervical cancer. It is used when making a diagnosis of cervical cancer but, its primary role is to detect any abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix, thus, preventing the development of cervical cancer. It has been medically proven that regular cervical screening lessens the likelihood of a cervical cancer to develop.

An abnormal result does not imply that you have cervical cancer. But, if the results showed abnormalities, treatment is needed to prevent and stop the occurrence of cancer.

Cervical Screening: How it’s Done

During a cervical screening, the patient is asked to remove the clothing from the waist down. The patient will then lay on her back on the examination bed with the knees bent, ankles together – letting the knees fall open. A speculum will be put inside the vagina by a health care practitioner (doctor or nurse). When the speculum is already in the vagina, the health care practitioner will open it gently allowing the vagina to open and the cervix to be seen. Then, the health care practitioner will gently scrape a little amount of cells from the surface of the cervix by using a small brush. When the sample cells are obtained, it will be put into some liquid then, they will be sent to the laboratory for examination. At the laboratory, the sample cells are put on a slide. They will be examined using a microscope.

Importance of Routine Cervical Screening

It is a fact. Cervical cancer is a disease which can be prevented. Although cervical screening test is not specifically used to diagnose cervical cancer, it helps in detecting abnormalities before any harm can occur in the long run.

Cervical screenings have help in decreasing the cases of cervical cancer in recent years. As a result, a drop in the number of women dying from cervical cancer is also seen. In most cases, the abnormal changes seen on cervical screenings do not mean cancer.

What Do the Results Mean?

Results of cervical screening could be normal, inadequate or abnormal. Abnormal result is categorized into borderline, mild abnormalities, moderate abnormalities, severe abnormalities and possible cancer cells.

Borderline – this is the mildest abnormality observed on the test. Borderline change means the cells are not normal but are also not abnormal at the same time.

Mild abnormalities – This is also called mild dyskaryosis. Mild abnormalities can return to normal even if it is left untreated.

Moderate and severe abnormalities – Also known as moderate dyskaryosis and severe dyskaryosis, respectively. Having these kinds of results do not mean you’ll develop cervical cancer but, compared to mild dyskaryosis, moderate and severe dyskaryosis do not go back on their own and will need treatment.

Possible cancer cells – These could either be glandular or invasive neoplasia. Glandular neoplasia means there’s an abnormality in the womb’s lining while invasive neoplasia may suggest cervical cancer and further tests are needed.

Cervical screening tests can also be used to check for HPV (human papilloma virus) which is the common cause of cervical cancer.

 

The effect of a cervical screening test

A cervical screening test is often looked down upon by women. Most of them even refuse to take up the test as they have a preconceived notion about it. Some women are scared that it might be a rather painful procedure. The process could go painlessly in some women, while in others, it may cause slight pain and discomfort. The pain is tolerable and is a tiny price to pay for the results it generates. However, the test is just a measure of safety and is critical. It helps to rule out the presence or detect the likelihood of cervical cancer. As described in the points above, after a certain age, a woman undergoes a lot of changes in her body. These changes may be physical, emotional or hormonal. The hormones that govern the body cause a lot of mood swings, changes and alterations to health. Nearing forties, women are more prone to hormonal imbalances, cancers, and other diseases. Preventing diseases is better than battling them later in life. For these reasons, cervical screening is important. It helps to detect any changes in the normal cervix.

How important is the screening?

The effects of the screening are positive, as they help to yield favourable results for women. By favourable, it means that it gives a brutally honest feedback of what is happening within the body. Cancer can be prevented or dealt with only if detected in the early stages or even before it happens. Once the damage is done, its reversal becomes tough. Cervical screening or smear test as it is also called can be booked in the hospital or clinic. Take an appointment and fix a slot for the test as soon as possible. Sometimes, certain conditions might cause irritation and at that point of time, the doctor might as to defer the test. It is essential to get yourself checked before taking up the test or screening. Every woman’s body is different, as is her tolerance to pain.

Cervical screening can figure out if abnormal cells have started developing in the cervix. These cells can be removed, and cancer associated with cervical cells can be eliminated. Depending on the extent of abnormal cell growth, the stage of cancer is determined in conjunction with the damage it has caused to the body. Framing a regular screening as a habit can help to nip the cause off at its bud. In this way, some women can be safe from cervical cancer. The number of deaths associated with it can be brought down drastically. Thus, making cervical screening a part of your regular check-up can help you stay away from this common form of cancer. All said and done; cancer can develop and spread very rapidly, and if you have a screening test to prevent it, that is the best way to stay away from fatal conditions.