There is no screening system for uterine cancer, though sometimes a Pap smear, which is used to screen for cervical cancer, will detect cancer cells coming from the uterus. The Pap test is a procedure done during a pelvic examination and is performed at both gynecology and primary care physicians’ offices. It involves a speculum exam, which is how your doctor can see the cervix. Once it is seen, a spatula or a brush is used to scrape the cervix surface and the cervical os, which is the mouth or opening of the cervix.
The scrapings can then be sent to the lab for analysis. Most Pap tests today are performed using liquid-based methods because additional tests can be performed on the sample collected from the cervix. The Thin Prep Pap test is the only FDA-approved liquid-based Pap test for the detection of HPV, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydia out of the vial. The Thin Prep? Pap test has also been shown to better detect abnormalities involving the glands of the cervix, as compared to the conventional Pap smear. This is important because one form of cervical cancer involving the glands, called adenocarcinoma, is on the rise in the United States today, particularly in younger women.
Using this technology, pathologists can sometimes pick up abnormal cells coming from higher up the reproductive system and can sometimes detect uterine adenocarcinomas. It is important to remember that the Pap smear is not intended to screen for endometrial cancer. A woman can have a normal Pap smear and still have endometrial cancer. Fortunately, most women will present with symptoms early on in the disease.