Cervical Cancer Screening

Finding cervical cancer early, when it is most curable, typically leads to better outcomes. Fortunately, screening for cervical cancer is relatively easy with two simple tests:

  • Cervical cytology (Pap smear): During this test, your doctor collects a small sample of cells from your cervix. A pathologist then examines the sample for cancer or precancerous cells.
  • HPV test: Certain strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cervical cancer. The sample of cervical cells can be analyzed by a pathologist to see if they contain these HPV strains. 

Depending on your age and risk factors, your gynecologist can let you know how often you should be screened for cervical cancer.

Cervical Cancer Diagnosis and Staging 

If the results of your Pap and HPV tests suggest possible cervical cancer or precancer, you may have other exams. In most cases, doctors first recommend:

  • Pelvic examination: In almost all cases, a gynecologist begins the diagnostic process with a thorough pelvic examination. 
  • Cervical biopsy: In many cases, a gynecologist collects a small tissue sample from your cervix to be analyzed by a pathologist for cancerous or precancerous cells. 

Depending on the results of your pelvic exam or biopsy, your doctor may recommend further testing, such as:

  • Colposcopy: An examination of your cervix using a special instrument called a colposcope. This instrument magnifies your cervix, allowing your doctor to check for abnormal cells and take a sample if needed.
  • Cone biopsy: This procedure is performed in the operating room under anesthesia and allows doctors to collect a cone-shaped tissue sample from deeper within the cervix.
  • Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP): Doctors use a thin, slightly electrically charged wire to collect more cervical tissue for analysis.

We may do other tests to see if cervical cancer has spread to other parts of your body, such as computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or positron emission tomography (PET) scans. During surgery, we also remove nearby lymph nodes to see if they contain cancer cells. This process, called staging, is important to determine the best treatment for you.