Master Cervical Cancer Screening with Picmonic for Medicine

Beginning at the age of 21, women should be screened every 3 years with a pap smear.

After the age of 30, women can change their screening methods. This would allow them to increased the interval between screenings.

After the age of 30, women can opt for co-testing in order to increase the interval between screenings. By co-testing with a pap smear and HPV test, the interval between screenings can be increased to 5 years.

Cytology (pap smear) and HPV are helpful in identifying and finding a source for precancerous or cancerous lesions in women.

Through screening, if a high grade lesion is found, one method of excision is through cryotherapy. This destroys abnormal tissue by freezing it.

Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) is one of the most commonly used approaches to treat high grade cervical dysplasia. It is done by the physician uses a wire loop through which an electric current and the cervical transformation zone and lesion are excised.

Cervical conization refers to an excision of a cone-shaped sample of tissue from the mucous membrane of the cervix. Conization may be used either for diagnostic purposes as part of a biopsy, or for therapeutic purposes.