Pathology of Cervix, Vagina, and Vulva 3 Flashcards
Identify the basic principles behind the pap test and high risk HPV testing.
1
Q
What is the pap test?
A
- Exfoliation of cells from the surface of the cervix with a brush or broom
- Actual tissue usually not obtained
- If dysplasia is identified, can be graded and managed accordingly
- Most valuable screening test for reducing cancer mortality and has led to a dramatic delcine in the past century
2
Q
What are some downsides of the pap test?
A
- Requiers a confirmatory test
- colposcopy and bx
- Not 100% sensitive
- now combined with high risk HPV testing
3
Q
What courses of action are taken based on pap test results?
A
- Mild dysplasia - observation since most regress
- Moderate to severe dysplasia - excision with subsequent procedure
- Invasive carcinoma - can be detected but the goal of the pap test is to identify and prevent early dysplasia
- Increasingly used with assays that detect HPV in the cells to increase sensitivity