It has it's advantages over conventional Pap Smear in many ways.
In Thin Prep Pap Smear, it's advantage begin with the use of a specially designed sampling brush, to enable a more thorough collection of both ecto and endo cervix.
The central longer bristles and the shorter adjacent ones fits snugly onto the ectocervix, and samples are collected by rotatory movements while in contact with the surface of the cervix.
Compared to Conventional Pap Smear that was designed back in WWII, no doubt it has saved thousands if not millions of lives.
With the conventional Pap Smear, early non malignant changes can be detected early for intervention before it turns malignant.
Though 85% of cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinoma, the other 15% are adenocarcinoma, which most of the time arises from the endocervix, the inner part of cervix that faces the uterus.Due to the design of the wooden spatula, though it is able to collect a good sample from the ectocervix, but not the endocervix.
The flaw of the conventional Pap Smear arises from the sampling as well as the deposition of the samples collected onto the slides.
Smearing of the sample collected onto the glass.
Fixing the sample onto the slide with a cytofix chemical. Unfortunately, the possibilities of a false negative(early signs of pre-malignant changes has occurred but unable to be detected) is as high as 50%.This is due to as the deposition of smear takes place, only 20% of the sample actually gets deposited onto the slide, while 80% of sample remained on the wooden spatula.
of which often gets tossed into the bin...
Besides the poor sampling method, Thin Prep Pap Smear goes through two level of screening, where the samples are initially screened by an imaging device. Upon detection of abnormal cells, the samples is then reconfirmed by a pathologist.
While conventional Pap Smear is normally screened by a pathologist, where the report is based upon the experience of the person doing the screening.
Upon detection of abnormal cells, the existing sample collected through Thin Prep Pap Smear can be sent for HPV DNA, while another separate sample is needed for conventional Pap Smear.
So, ladies, insist upon Thin Prep Pap Smear from your doctor. Unfortunately, not many general practitioner are aware of the availability of such test.
During the Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, Klinik Wan & Keluarga will be conducting Thin Prep Pap Smear at a lowered price at RM45. Normal price for this price is RM90.
You need not worry about hygiene as the speculum used to collect samples are disposable ones.
Protect yourself against cancer today.
A note that i feel compelled to say. With the availability of this vaccine today, in addition to the campaign which is regularly held, it would be a crying shame if you procrastinate upon getting vaccinated, and unlucky enough on day to be diagnosed to have cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is not limited to those who have multiple partners,but to you as well. There is always a possibility of contracting cancer in every woman. The possibility wouldn't be as remote as you thought to be considering it being ranked number 2 among mortality secondary to cancer.
