Cancer Articles (Dr. S.N White)

Yes. The colposcope allows the doctor to look into parts of a woman's reproductive system the cervix, vulva, and vagina without operating. The colposcope is basically a microscope on a stand. It gives a lighted, magnified view showing greater detail than can be seen by the naked eye. Since using the colposcope properly requires special training, many doctors refer their patients to physicians who are specialized in this technique. Doctors can also biopsy the organs with this technique. No anesthesia is needed. The procedure usually takes only 10 or 15 minutes. What is the Schiller test?  The Schiller test , which is usually done in the doctor's office, is the staining of cervical cells on the cervix in order to locate possible cancerous cells. Why must a biopsy be done? Doesn't the Pap smear indicate whether or not I have cancer?  The Pap smear is only a screening tool. Although it is very accurate as a screening device, a biopsy must be done to give a definite di...

What do the different classes of Pap test mean?  Pap test results are usually assigned numbers from 1 to 5, although some laboratories use slightly different systems. The usual meaning of the tests is as follows: • Class 1: Smear completely normal. No abnormal cells. • Class 2: Some atypical cells present but none suggest cancer. May be due to an inflammation and/or possible infection. Usually no treatment is prescribed because many of the abnormalities return to normal without any treatment. Pap test should be repeated between 3 and 6 months. • Class 3: Some abnormal cells present, suggesting but not confirming the presence ofcancer. Referred to as dysplasia. The degree and kind of abnormality is greater than Class 2 test. Follow up smear and biopsy may be needed. • Class 4: Smear contains some cells that appear to be cancerous. There are signs of early cancer. Follow up smear and biopsy needed. • Class 5: Smear contains cells that are more cancerous than Class...

A Pap smear can accurately detect cancer of the cervix , but it is substantially less accurate for detecting cancer of the body of the uterus (endometrium), the fallopian tubes, or the ovaries. In cases where these types of cancer are discovered through a Pap smear it is because the cancer cells have passed down through the tube into the cavity of the uterus and continued out through the cervix and into the vaginal discharge. In other words, the Pap test is really designed only to detect cervical cancer?  That is correct. Regular Pap smears help make cervical cancer a preventable disease. Since cells from the cervix are continually being sloughed off into the normal discharge from the cervix and vagina, the Pap smear makes it possible for most cervical cancer to be detected before it has had an opportunity to invade or spread. The use of the Pap smear has helped to drop the death rate for women with cervical cancer by 60 percent in the last 30 years. Is it painful to have ...