Iris Cole interviews Dr. Ido Laskov about the detection and prevention of cervical cancer/Walla system
Yesterday (Monday) Galit Gutman revealed that she had a pre-cancerous tumor removed from her cervix, after it was discovered during a routine Pap test.
Gutman said that she felt "shame, after so many years I was not examined and neglected."
And Gutman is not alone, as many women choose not to undergo the test for fear that it hurts.
According to the Cancer Society, cervical cancer is the fourth most common among women in the world, and the second most common among women in developing countries.
In Israel the incidence is low compared to many other countries, and stands at five cases per 100,000 women.
In Israel, every year about 200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and over a thousand women with pre-cancerous lesions.
Cervical cancer used to be one of the deadliest types of cancer among women, but its incidence decreased significantly with the introduction of tests for the early detection of the cervix - Pap tests.
This disease appears in women in mid-life - most cases are discovered in women younger than 50 - but the risk also exists at an older age, so the recommendation for women at normal risk is to continue to be examined with routine tests until at least the age of 65 or according to the doctor's recommendation.
The test is in the health basket for women aged 25-54.
In accordance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health, it is recommended that women between the ages of 25 and 65 perform a cervical surface examination routinely once every three years, while a woman defined as high risk can perform the test more frequently.
Pap test/ShutterStock
Is it accurate?
Despite the frequency of the test, quite a few women shy away from it, mainly for fear of pain and discomfort.
During the test, the cervix is brushed with a special brush that collects cells from it.
These cells are sent for testing in the laboratory, where they are examined for premalignant changes in the cervix.
It is important to say that the test is performed by a doctor or gynecologist as part of the routine visit, it is not painful but there may be slight discomfort during it, and it is not accompanied by side effects or complications.
A Pap test is not a diagnostic test and its sensitivity and accuracy are limited, which causes many to doubt it.
It is important to understand that, as with other tests, this test may also have false positive results - that is, cases where the result is abnormal, but in practice there is no change in the cervix, and, unfortunately, false negative results as well.
More on the same topic:
Galit Gutman
cancer
Cervical cancer
Pap test