Diagnostic test for the early detection of cancer cells. Commonly called Pap test, Pap smear.
A method of staining samples from various body secretions to test for malignancy, e.g. testing a cervical smear sample to see if cancer is present.
Method of examining stained cells shed by mucous membranes, especially of the cervix, used for early diagnosis of cancer and precancerous changes in cells. In its most common use, a smear of cervical cells is obtained during a routine pelvic examination. Also called Pap smear; Pap test.
Microscopic examination of cells scraped from the vagina and cervix after staining with Papanicolaou stain; also called Pap test.
A test to detect cancer of the neck (cervix) or lining (endometrium) of the womb. A specimen of tissue taken from the womb is stained and examined under the microscope for the presence of abnormal cells.
A cytological study used to detect cancer in cells that an organ has shed. The Pap test has been used most often in the diagnosis and prevention of cervical cancers, but it also is valuable in the detection of pleural or peritoneal malignancies and in the evaluation of cellular changes caused by radiation, infection, or atrophy.