Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening

 Breast Exam | Pap Smear | Colposcopy

January is National Cervical Health Awareness Month

The Breast Exam

Breast exams become a routine part of an annual exam starting in your 20s.

During the physical part of the gynecologic exam, you'll be asked to lie on your back on the table. You'll have the paper sheet or gown covering you, and our clinician will only uncover the parts of your body being examined.

A breast exam is performed by lightly pressing on different parts of your breasts. After finishing, she will show you how to examine your own breasts. This helps you become familiar with how your breasts feel so you know which lumps are normal and which may be the result of a change.

The Pap Smear

A Pap smear, which tests for cervical cancer or abnormal cells, is recommended for women who are either age 21 or older or who have had intercourse at least three years earlier. The clinician swabs a sample of cells from the cervix through the vagina. The test is sent to a laboratory and the results come back in a week to two weeks. If the test shows abnormal cells, the clinician might recommend an HPV test, a repeat pap test in 6-12 months, or a procedure called a colposcopy.

Colposcopy

Many times, the abnormal changes found on a Pap test will clear without treatment, but some can progress to pre-cancerous or cancerous changes.  A Colposcopy is often needed to look more closely at the cervix, and determine what needs to be done.  A small sample (biopsy) may be taken from the cervix and sent to the lab for a more exact diagnosis.  The results will determine if you need to have more frequent Pap tests, a repeat Colposcopy, or a LEEP procedure.  LEEP removes any pre-cancerous or cancerous cells. Colposcopies are performed at our Beverly and Lawrence health centers once a month and LEEP procedures are performed by an OB/GYN monthly in Beverly.