Science / Medicine : Value of Pap Tests Underscored

Women who wait more than two years between Pap tests run a greatly increased risk of developing the most common type of cervical cancer, says a new study of women in Washington state. The research, published this month in the professional journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, shows that among women who get Pap smears every three years the risk of developing cervical cancer is 3.9 times greater than among women who have the test annually.

And for women who have Pap tests at intervals of 10 years or greater, the cervical cancer risk increases 12.3 times. Tests every two years have about the same effect as tests conducted annually, according to the research.

“The study shows that women should get Pap smears more frequently than every three years,” said Dr. Joseph Chu, one of five doctors who conducted the study at the University of Washington.