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Article: Common questions about gynecologic cancers.(Ask the Expert)
- Article from:
- National Women's Health Report
- Article date:
- August 1, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 National Women's Health Resource Center. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Q What type of Pap test should I get?
A Currently, there are two types. The conventional Pap test is a swab of cells taken from your cervix and fixed on a slide. The newer, liquid-based Pap tests such as ThinPrep and SurePath use a solution that helps preserve the cells scraped from the cervix as well as remove mucus, bacteria, and other cells from the specimen that may interfere with the reading.
Although most recent studies show that the liquid-based Pap tests allow added precision in diagnoses, health care professionals emphasize that any Pap test is better than none.
Also, don't assume that just because you had a pelvic exam, your health ...