A Pap smear should be a routine part of a woman's yearly
gynecological examination. The primary purpose of a Pap smear is
to detect changes in the cells of the cervix which may lead to
cervical cancer, while they're still in the early or pre-
cancerous stages. During the examination, a sample of cells will
be removed from your cervix with a small plastic or wooden
spatula, or a cotton swab and brush. The cells are put on a
slide and sent to the laboratory. There, the specimen will be
examined under a microscope, and the results sent back to your
doctor. A negative result means that no cancerous cells were
found, and a positive test indicates that abnormalities may
exist. Oftentimes abnormalities do not mean that a cancer
exists, but that these changes may eventually become a cancer if
they are not appropriately treated. An abnormal result is
usually followed by further diagnostic tests. The American
Cancer Society recommends that women have a Pap smear by age 18,
or earlier if they're sexually active. After th