Screening for gynecologic cancer

Gynecologic cancers are among the most common malignancies in women. The im plementation of population-based Papanicolaou (Pap) smear screening has res ulted in a significant reduction in the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer. Despite its successes, failures in Pap smear screening do exist. A lthough a great deal of scientific and media attention has been devoted to the occurrence of false negative Pap smears, the greatest failures in cervi cal cancer screening programs are in the unscreened population. Taking adva ntage of screening opportunities offers an effective way of further reducin g mortality from cervical cancer. Although early diagnosis of ovarian and e ndometrial cancer is also associated with improved survival, these tumors a re less amenable to screening and suggested population-based screening stra tegies have not demonstrated benefit. At present, patient education with re gard to the symptoms associated with these diseases, and prompt evaluation of any women who present with these symptoms, help limit unnecessary diagno stic delay.