January is …
Cervical cancer screenings follow a specific set of guidelines that were updated by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in September 2017. To help check for or confirm a cervical cancer diagnosis, doctors may recommend various procedures.
Pap smear: Verywell Health says
a pap smear can identify abnormal changes to cervical cells long before they become cancerous. A woman's first pap smear is recommended at age 21.
HPV testing: Certain types of
human papilloma viruses, including types 16 and 18, increase cervical cancer risk, according to the Mayo Clinic.
An HPV screening test looks for the presence of HPV.
Colposcopy: During this proce dure, the doctor uses a colposcope to look at the cervix. A colposcope has a bright light with a magnifying lens to make tissue easier to see. A doctor can see if the cervix looks like it has any abnormalities.
Punch biopsy: During this pro cedure, a doctor uses a sharp tool to pinch off small samples of cervical tissue.
LEEP: LEEP stands for loop
electrosurgical excision procedure.
During the procedure, the doctor uses a wire loop heated by an electric current to remove some tissue from the cervix, advises WebMD.
Endocervical cure(age: With
this procedure, a doctor uses a small, spoon-shaped instrument called a cu-
re(e to scrape a small sample of tissue
from the cervix, according to Compass Oncology.
Conization: is biopsy removes
a cone-shaped section of abnormal tissue for laboratory examination. The University of Colorado Gynecologic Oncology says this procedure is often used in cervical dysplasia cases when a buildup of precancerous cells occurs on the cervix surface. It also can collect a larger sample of cells for testing.
These procedures are used in the prevention, identification and possible treatment of conditions that may lead to cervical cancer.
