Farooqi: PAP smears can help prevent cervical cancer - LubbockOnline.com

The National Cancer institute reported 12,200 new cases of cervical cancer and 4,210 cervical cancer deaths in 2010. The majority of these deaths can be prevented by a simple screening called the PAP smear (a collection of cells from the uterus). Dr. George Papanicolou reported in 1928 that cancer could be detected if vaginal cells were collected and studied under the microscope-hence the name PAP smear. The PAP gained acceptance in the U.S. between 1949 and 1954. Initially, screening was recommended in postpartum women and also yearly in sexually active women. In 2009, with new research and better understanding of the Human papillomavirus (HPV), the American Congress of Obstetrician and Gynecologists (ACOG) established new guidelines.