PAP SMEAR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Pap smear mean? 

• PAP SMEAR (noun)
  The noun PAP SMEAR has 1 sense:

1. a sample of secretions and superficial cells of the uterine cervix and uterus; examined with a microscope to detect any abnormal cells

  Familiarity information: PAP SMEAR used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PAP SMEAR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A sample of secretions and superficial cells of the uterine cervix and uterus; examined with a microscope to detect any abnormal cells

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

cervical smear; Pap smear; Papanicolaou smear

Hypernyms ("Pap smear" is a kind of...):

cytologic smear; cytosmear; smear (a thin tissue or blood sample spread on a glass slide and stained for cytologic examination and diagnosis under a microscope)

Holonyms ("Pap smear" is a part of...):

Pap test; Papanicolaou test; smear test (a method of examining stained cells in a cervical smear for early diagnosis of uterine cancer)

 Context examples 

In women, Pap smears can detect changes in the cervix that might lead to cancer.

(HPV, NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

These abnormal cells are found in a small number of Pap smears (a procedure used to detect cervical cancer) and may be a sign of more serious lesions or cancer.

(AGUS, NCI Dictionary)

Also called Pap smear and Papanicolaou test.

(Pap test, NCI Dictionary)

Also called Pap smear and Pap test.

(Papanicolaou test, NCI Dictionary)

A Pap smear may also help find other conditions, such as infections or inflammation.

(Pap smear, NCI Dictionary)

Examples of cancer screening tests are the mammogram (breast), colonoscopy (colon), Pap smear (cervix), and PSA blood level and digital rectal exam (prostate).

(Disease Screening, NCI Dictionary)

A study designed to determine the best way to manage cases in which Pap smears return the mild cervical abnormalities of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL)

(ASCUS/LSIL Triage Study, NCI Thesaurus)

Abnormal squamous cells (thin, flat cells that look like fish scales) are found in a low number of Pap smears (a procedure used to detect cervical cancer) and may indicate infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) or another infectious agent.

(Atypical Squamous Cell of Undetermined Significance, NCI Dictionary)