Sampling techniques for cervical cancer prevention

The principal goal of Pap smear screening is to detect those abnormalities of the cervix that require definitive diagnostic intervention. Any mainstream screening of the population should also seek to increase the participation of women belonging to groups with special needs, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, women of non English speaking background, women with disabilities and older unscreened women. As it is not always possible to obtain endocervical cells, the importance of a Pap smear for individual women is questioned. This article examines the various sampling techniques and choice of instruments. Though the literature is not entirely supportive of a particular cytological sampling technique, the overall evidence supports the use of the spatula/cytobrush combination.