Nov. 19, 1999 (Minneapolis) -- Women probably don't give much thought to the device that's used to perform their routine Pap smear. But a new study by British researchers suggests that maybe they should.
Cervical screening is effective in decreasing incidence and death from invasive disease of the cervix. When a woman has a Pap, or cervical smear, test, clinicians obtain cells from the cervix using a collection device that helps the laboratory technician detect disease, such as cancer.