NOTE: When requesting your appointment, please complete your history form and sign your consent form. Please bring them with you to your appointment. Click the link named Questionnaire & Consent Form to the right and print.
What is a Pap?
A Pap smear is a test to detect changes on a women's cervix that could lead to cancer if not diagnosed early. It is a simple 2 minute procedure and is very accurate.
Who should have one?
All women who have become sexually active should have an annual Pap smear. If a woman is with the same partner for many years, and has had three normal annual paps in a row, they can reduce the frequency to every 2 years.
What if it is abnormal?
Women who have an abnormal pap result will be followed up regularly to ensure that it doesn't progress to cancer of the cervix.
How often should I have one?
All sexually active women should have one annually. If you have become sexually active and go through a period of not being active, you must still be sure to have an annual pap, as there are usually no symptoms of pre-cancerous cells that you would notice and they can develop silently over time.
Who is most at risk of Cervical Cancer?
All sexually active women are at risk. Cervical Cancer is much more common than people realize and kills hundreds of Canadian women every year. It is also one of the most preventable cancers through early detection (The Pap). Other groups are also at increased risk, mostly because they are not aware that they need to be screened or do not know where they can go to get a pap:
• Women over 60 years of age often forget to get a pap for years because they may not be currently sexually active. They can forget that cancer grows over a period of time, and they need to continue getting paps!
• Women who have recently immigrated to Canada. They are often unaware of the importance of this procedure, and for cultural or language reasons are not connected to routine health care. For cultural reasons, they often need a female for this non-urgent medical service and need to know where to get this service.
Can Cervical Cancer be prevented?
Yes, there is a new, safe, effective vaccine at your doctor's office called Gardasil. It has been shown to be almost 100% effective in preventing the 4 HPV viruses that are responsible for close to 75% of all Cervical Cancer deaths. It is a series of 3 shots over 6 months and costs approximately $175 per shot. Most private insurance plans provide coverage.
Will HPV vaccine be provided universally?
It is hard to say, but if it is, it will probably be offerred through junior high schools only, for students in grades 6-8. This means that all women who are currently older than 15 will likely never benefit from this program and should consider vaccinating themselves. there is a large amount of good information available on the web regarding HPV and the HPV vaccine. This vaccine is considered by many to be a genuine breakthrough in preventing cancer of the cervix in women as well as the associated cancer treatments and unnecessary loss of life due to this disease.
For more information visit :www.gardasil.com
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Note: After completing the appointment form on the right and clicking the "Send E-mail" button a confirmation page will appear. Please print the confirmation page and bring it with you to the appointment.
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