Have you been smeared?
Cervical screening is not a test for cancer. It is a method of preventing cancer by detecting and treating early abnormalities which, if left untreated, could lead to cancer in a woman's cervix (the neck of the womb). The first stage in cervical screening is either a smear test or Liquid based Cytology (LBC)
A sample of cells is taken from the cervix for analysis. A doctor or nurse inserts an instrument (a speculum) to open the woman's vagina and uses a spatula to sweep around the cervix. Most women consider the procedure to be only mildly uncomfortable.
Early detection and treatment can prevent 75 per cent of cancers developing but like other screening tests, it is not perfect. It may not always detect early cell changes that could lead to cancer.
The sample of cells is 'smeared' on to a slide which is sent to a laboratory for examination under a microscope/p>
Liquid based cytology (LBC) is a new way of preparing cervical samples for examination in the laboratory. The sample is collected in a similar way to the conventional smear, using a special device which brushes cells from the neck of the womb. Rather than smearing the sample onto a microscope slide as happens with the conventional smear, the head of the brush, where the cells are lodged, is broken off into a small glass vial containing preservative fluid, or rinsed directly into the preservative fluid. The sample is sent to the laboratory where it is spun and treated to remove obscuring material, for example mucus or pus, and a random sample of the remaining cells is taken. A thin layer of the cells is deposited onto a slide. The slide is examined in the usual way under a microscope by a cytologist.
Have you been invited?
An invitation for cervical cancer screening is normally sent out by local GP surgeries to all women. This is one invite you can't refuse. If you have not been invited, phone your GP and request for an invitation. It may save your life. Please attend your regular smear checks, including follow ups at your clinic. Also Diarize your next check as you may not be in the UK when the next check is due
Data obtained from http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical/