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CA: a Cancer Journal For Clinicians 1986
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Papanicolaou Test; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Vaginal Smears
PubMed: 3089548
DOI: 10.3322/canjclin.36.4.254-b -
Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer... 2010the objective of this study is to explore the perceptions of medical students regarding the Pap smear test.
OBJECTIVE
the objective of this study is to explore the perceptions of medical students regarding the Pap smear test.
METHODOLOGY
Focus group discussion was held with twenty three medical students. The students were divided into three focus groups; two groups of female participants consisting of 9 and 8 students; respectively. The third group consisted of 6 male students. Questions regarding Pap smear testing included barriers that prevented women from taking the test, gender preference for the physician to conduct the cervical screening test, willingness to suggest Pap smear test to the family or friends. The data obtained were classified into various categories and analyzed manually.
RESULTS
Most of the study participants mentioned that the main barriers for women to not perform Pap smear test is lack of awareness 16 (70%), followed by shyness 12 (52%) and the cost of the test 12 (52%). Most agreed that the gender of the physician will affect the women decision to do Pap smear test. All mentioned that the advantage of a regular Pap smear test is to detect the abnormality at the early stage of cervical cancer. Some of the participants 9 (39%) mentioned that the disadvantages are expense, possible injury in the vagina due to the test procedures 8 (35%), associated infection 7(30.4%) and pain 7(30.4%) . The majority, 20 (87%) mentioned that the most effective prevention methods for cervical cancer are having sex only after getting married with the spouse only, HPV vaccination 15 (65%) and Pap smear 14 (61%).
CONCLUSION
The main barriers for women to not perform Pap smear test is lack of awareness, shyness and the cost of the test. Gender of the physician will affect the women decision to do Pap smear test.
Topics: Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Female; Health Behavior; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Male; Papanicolaou Test; Perception; Preventive Health Services; Prognosis; Students, Medical; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Vaginal Smears; Young Adult
PubMed: 20843130
DOI: No ID Found -
Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C.... 1996To compare the characteristics of older women who did and did not have screening mammograms and Pap smears during the first two years both services were a Medicare Part... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
OBJECTIVE
To compare the characteristics of older women who did and did not have screening mammograms and Pap smears during the first two years both services were a Medicare Part B benefit.
METHODS
A prospective study was conducted in five rural Pennsylvania counties of 2205 female community-dwelling Medicare Part B beneficiaries who volunteered to participate in a Medicare prevention demonstration project. The baseline health risk appraisal included information on demographics, insurance status, disease history, symptomatology, and functional and cognitive status. These variables were tested for their association with the use of mammography and Pap smear using Medicare utilization claims data from 1991 to 1992.
RESULTS
Of 2175 women still alive after three years, 44.6% had had a mammogram and 14.6% had had a Pap smear in either 1991 or 1992. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that women were more likely to have a mammogram if they were younger, were more educated, had supplemental insurance, did not need assistance with activities of daily living, and did not have diabetes or arthritis. Younger, college educated, and non-widowed women were more likely to have Pap smears than women in other categories.
CONCLUSIONS
With cost less of a barrier, more aggressive efforts to persuade older women to have mammograms and Pap smears must be developed.
Topics: Age Factors; Aged; Attitude to Health; Female; Humans; Mammography; Medicare; Papanicolaou Test; Pennsylvania; Prospective Studies; Regression Analysis; Rural Population; Socioeconomic Factors; United States; Vaginal Smears
PubMed: 8643816
DOI: No ID Found -
Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer... Oct 2021Liquid-based preparation (LBP) cytology is commonly used in most laboratories these days due to its convenience and reliable results for the cervical cancer screening...
UNLABELLED
Liquid-based preparation (LBP) cytology is commonly used in most laboratories these days due to its convenience and reliable results for the cervical cancer screening program. The PathTezt™ Liquid-based Pap smear is a second-generation LBP, which uses a filter-based concentration technique in processing the sample.
OBJECTIVE
This study was done to evaluate the cellular fixation, morphology, quality of smear in gynae cytology, and diagnostic interpretation of cervical cytological smears produced by the PathTezt liquid-based processor.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 400 pap smear samples were taken and processed using the PathTezt 2000 processor. The slides were evaluated in terms of sample adequacy, percentage of the circle covered by epithelial cells, cellular distribution, obscuring factors, and cell fixation.
RESULTS
About 95.25% (381) of the samples were satisfactory for the evaluation. In 19 (4.75%) of the samples, epithelial cells covered less than 50% of the circle. A sample with good cellular distribution was seen in 92% of the cases, while 354 (88.5%) samples showed minimal inflammatory background. Almost all the smears (95.75%) had no erythrocytes in the background. All smears showed good quality fixation features toward nuclear, cytoplasm, and microorganisms. The total performance rate was 99%.
CONCLUSION
Although the PathTezt liquid-based processor is still new compared to other first-generation LBP, the smears produced by this method were of high quality and it was cost-effective.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Cervix Uteri; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Epithelial Cells; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Middle Aged; Papanicolaou Test; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Vaginal Smears; Young Adult
PubMed: 34711003
DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2021.22.10.3261 -
Nursing Open May 2022The study examines limiting factors associated with cervical cancer Pap smear screening among participants of reproductive age attending a healthcare facility in Namibia.
AIM
The study examines limiting factors associated with cervical cancer Pap smear screening among participants of reproductive age attending a healthcare facility in Namibia.
DESIGN
A cross-sectional descriptive and exploratory study was conducted.
METHODS
The data were collected using a face-to-face interview (qualitative) and a structured questionnaire (quantitative). A total of 49 participants (10 qualitative and 39 quantitative) aged 17-45 years participated in the study.
RESULTS
The study revealed that 80% of participants have limited knowledge of cervical cancer, while 49% have never done the test before and 8% were not informed of the screening and risk of the disease. Furthermore, 49% of participants responded that the screening fees are not affordable. Meanwhile, all participants (100%) complained of the long waiting period. Other main barriers for not screening were missed announcements and unsuitable time allocation. Knowledge on cervical cancer and turn-up for Pap smear screening test was low among participants of reproductive age.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Early Detection of Cancer; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Papanicolaou Test; Perception; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms
PubMed: 35243808
DOI: 10.1002/nop2.1196 -
BMC Women's Health Aug 2021Cervical cancer is considered treatable as long as it is detected early and managed effectively. Pap smear test is a screening tool that plays an important role in the...
OBJECTIVE
Cervical cancer is considered treatable as long as it is detected early and managed effectively. Pap smear test is a screening tool that plays an important role in the early detection, prevention and can prevent any early cervical cell changes from becoming cancer. This study aims to survey the effect of educational programs based on beliefs, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control on doing the pap-smear test in a sample of Iranian women.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This experimental interventional study was performed on 300 women admitted to Fasa City, Fars Province, Iran health centers in 2018-2019. A questionnaire consisting of demographic information, knowledge, Health Belief Model, and Theory of Planned Behavior constructs were used to measure on doing of Pap smear test in women before and after 6 months' educational intervention.
RESULTS
The results revealed that 6 months after the intervention, 108 women (72%) in the experimental group and only 9 women (6%) in the control group received the Pap smear test.
CONCLUSIONS
The current research results revealed that education based on the combination of the health Belief model and theory of planned behavior might be promoting participation and an increasing rate of receiving Pap smear tests in women.
Topics: Behavior Control; Early Detection of Cancer; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Iran; Papanicolaou Test
PubMed: 34362375
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-021-01419-w -
Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer... 2013Cancer of the uterine cervix is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide. Industrialized countries have dramatically reduced the incidence of mortality from...
BACKGROUND
Cancer of the uterine cervix is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide. Industrialized countries have dramatically reduced the incidence of mortality from cervical carcinoma in the last 50 years through aggressive screening programs utilizing pelvic examinations and Papanicolaou (Pap) smears but it still remains a major problem in the developing world.
OBJECTIVES
This study was performed to determine knowledge, attitude and practice of Pap smear as a screening procedure among nurses in a tertiary hospital in north eastern India.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
This cross sectional study was carried out with a questionnaire survey covering the socio demographic factors, knowledge, attitude and practices about Pap smear screening among 224 nurses in Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur, India during December 2011.
RESULTS
Two hundred and twenty one participants (98.6%) had heard about cervical carcinoma but 18.3% lacked adequate knowledge regarding risk factors. Knowledge about the Pap smear was adequate in 88.8% of the respondents. Out of these, only 11.6% had Pap smear at least once previously. The most common reasons for non-participation in screening were lack of any symptoms (58.4%), lack of counselling (42.8%), physician does not request (29.9%) and fear of vaginal examination (20.5%).
CONCLUSION
Although knowledge of Pap smear as a screening procedure for cervical cancer is high, practice is still low. The nurses who should be responsible for opportunistic screening of women they care for are not keen on getting screened themselves. If we can improve the practice of Pap smear screening in such experts, they should be able to readily provide appropriate and accurate information and motivate the general population to join screening programs.
Topics: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Early Detection of Cancer; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; India; Mass Screening; Middle Aged; Nurses; Papanicolaou Test; Patient Compliance; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tertiary Care Centers; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Vaginal Smears
PubMed: 23621250
DOI: 10.7314/apjcp.2013.14.2.849 -
Biomedical Engineering Online Feb 2019Cervical cancer is preventable if effective screening measures are in place. Pap-smear is the commonest technique used for early screening and diagnosis of cervical...
BACKGROUND
Cervical cancer is preventable if effective screening measures are in place. Pap-smear is the commonest technique used for early screening and diagnosis of cervical cancer. However, the manual analysis of the pap-smears is error prone due to human mistake, moreover, the process is tedious and time-consuming. Hence, it is beneficial to develop a computer-assisted diagnosis tool to make the pap-smear test more accurate and reliable. This paper describes the development of a tool for automated diagnosis and classification of cervical cancer from pap-smear images.
METHOD
Scene segmentation was achieved through a Trainable Weka Segmentation classifier and a sequential elimination approach was used for debris rejection. Feature selection was achieved using simulated annealing integrated with a wrapper filter, while classification was achieved using a fuzzy C-means algorithm.
RESULTS
The evaluation of the classifier was carried out on three different datasets (single cell images, multiple cell images and pap-smear slide images from a pathology lab). Overall classification accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of '98.88%, 99.28% and 97.47%', '97.64%, 98.08% and 97.16%' and '95.00%, 100% and 90.00%' were obtained for each dataset, respectively. The higher accuracy and sensitivity of the classifier was attributed to the robustness of the feature selection method that accurately selected cell features that improved the classification performance and the number of clusters used during defuzzification and classification. Results show that the method outperforms many of the existing algorithms in sensitivity (99.28%), specificity (97.47%), and accuracy (98.88%) when applied to the Herlev benchmark pap-smear dataset. False negative rate, false positive rate and classification error of 0.00%, 10.00% and 5.00%, respectively were obtained when applied to pap-smear slides from a pathology lab.
CONCLUSIONS
The major contribution of this tool in a cervical cancer screening workflow is that it reduces on the time required by the cytotechnician to screen very many pap-smears by eliminating the obvious normal ones, hence more time can be put on the suspicious slides. The proposed system has the capability of analyzing a full pap-smear slide within 3 min as opposed to the 5-10 min per slide in the manual analysis. The tool presented in this paper is applicable to many pap-smear analysis systems but is particularly pertinent to low-cost systems that should be of significant benefit to developing economies.
Topics: Early Detection of Cancer; Female; Fuzzy Logic; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Papanicolaou Test; Sensitivity and Specificity; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms
PubMed: 30755214
DOI: 10.1186/s12938-019-0634-5 -
Indian Journal of Cancer 2016Cancer cervix is the leading cause of cancer deaths in females in developing countries and one in five women suffering from cervical cancer lives in India.
BACKGROUND
Cancer cervix is the leading cause of cancer deaths in females in developing countries and one in five women suffering from cervical cancer lives in India.
AIMS
The aim of this study is to determine the awareness about cervical cancer and Pap smear among nurses working in a tertiary care institute. Study Setting and Design: Cross-sectional survey in a tertiary care institute.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Nurses working at our institute excluding those who have worked or working in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department were provided with a pre-designed questionnaire testing their knowledge about cervical cancer.
RESULTS
Approximately, 86% were aware about cancer cervix and 69% were aware of a pre-cancerous stage. 42.3% were not aware of any risk factor and 27.6% were not aware of any symptom of cancer cervix. 86.2% were aware about Pap smear, but only 58.6% were aware that facilities of Pap smear were available at our hospital.
CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge about cervical cancer and awareness of Pap smear as screening test was inadequate in nursing staff. Awareness programs about cervical cancer and screening are needed to increase awareness for this preventable condition.
RECOMMENDATION
There is a need to arrange reorientation programs to sensitize nurses and establish cytology clinics to offer facilities for easily accessible and affordable screening.
Topics: Adult; Awareness; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; India; Mass Screening; Middle Aged; Nursing Staff, Hospital; Papanicolaou Test; Risk Factors; Rural Population; Tertiary Care Centers; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Young Adult
PubMed: 27146744
DOI: 10.4103/0019-509X.180823 -
Diagnostic Cytopathology Jun 2018The development of the Papanicolaou smear test by Dr. George Nicholas Papanicolaou (1883-1962) is one of the most significant achievements in screening for disease and... (Review)
Review
The development of the Papanicolaou smear test by Dr. George Nicholas Papanicolaou (1883-1962) is one of the most significant achievements in screening for disease and cancer prevention in history. The Papanicolaou smear has been used for screening of cervical cancer since the 1950s. The test is technically straightforward and practical and based on a simple scientific observation: malignant cells have an aberrant nuclear morphology that can be distinguished from benign cells. Here, we review the scientific understanding that has been achieved and continues to be made on the causes and consequences of abnormal nuclear morphology, the basis of Dr. Papanicolaou's invention. The deformed nuclear shape is caused by the loss of lamina and nuclear envelope structural proteins. The consequences of a nuclear envelope defect include chromosomal numerical instability, altered chromatin organization and gene expression, and increased cell mobility because of a malleable nuclear envelope. HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) infection is recognized as the key etiology in the development of cervical cancer. Persistent HPV infection causes disruption of the nuclear lamina, which presents as a change in nuclear morphology detectable by a Papanicolaou smear. Thus, the causes and consequences of nuclear deformation are now linked to the mechanisms of viral carcinogenesis, and are still undergoing active investigation to reveal the details. Recently a statue was installed in front of the Papanicolaou's Cancer Research Building to honor the inventor. Remarkably, the invention nearly 60 years ago by Dr. Papanicolaou still exerts clinical impacts and inspires scientific inquiries.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Cell Nucleus; History, 20th Century; Humans; Neoplasms; Papanicolaou Test
PubMed: 29663734
DOI: 10.1002/dc.23941