Papanicolaou cervical smears for screening in asymptomatic women

The annual Papanicolaou smear as a screening test for cervical cancer is evaluated on the basis of cost-effectiveness, predictive value, and other factors of patient selection and comparative trends in mortality rate before and after the introduction of screening programs. For the asymptomatic woman at normal risk for cancer, Papanicolaou smears are recommended only once every five years, although symptomatic or high-risk women should still maintain an annual screening schedule.