Pap Test Quality Excellent
Women in Nova Scotia are receiving excellent care from Pap test providers in the province, according to Cancer Care Nova Scotia's Gynaecological Cancer Screening Program.
Personalized specimen adequacy report cards were sent out to more than 900 Nova Scotia doctors who performed Pap tests during 2003. The report cards indicate an average satisfactory rate of 99.6 per cent.
"Based on this first report card, it is clear that Pap test providers in Nova Scotia are doing an excellent job, as are the technologists and cytopathologists who report on the results," said Dr. Rob Grimshaw, medical director of the screening program. "By monitoring this activity, we are able reassure patients of the high-quality cervical screening being performed throughout the province. This kind of information also supports us in our efforts to encourage all women to have regular Pap tests."
Cytology laboratories, when screening Pap tests, evaluate each test as satisfactory, satisfactory but limited by a specific problem, or unsatisfactory. This detailed information is sent to the screening program for entry into their data registry. Specimen adequacy reports for each doctor are created from this data.
A Pap test must meet certain specifications before it can be considered satisfactory. The doctor must have gathered cells from an area of the cervix known as the transformation zone, where abnormal or pre-cancerous cells can appear. Because gathering these cells becomes more difficult as women age, the report cards have one set of data for women aged 50 and under, and another for women above the age of 50.
"Reports like these are very valuable," said Dr. Anne Houstoun, a family doctor with the North End Community Health Centre in Halifax. "In addition to receiving important feedback on the quality of our screening technique, I believe the report is also a good reminder to physicians about the groups of women that are not getting regularly screened. In my practice, for example, I need to encourage women over 40 about the importance of continuing to have regular Pap tests."
Specimen adequacy reports will be provided to doctors each year in February.
The Gynaecological Cancer Screening Program is dedicated to decreasing the incidence of gynaecological cancer in Nova Scotia. Initial efforts focus on cervical cancer and are aimed at prevention, early detection and appropriate management.
Regular Pap tests can prevent 90 per cent of deaths from cervical cancer. The screening program recommends that all women, aged 18 years and older, have regular Pap tests. Women under 18 should also have regular tests if they are sexually active.
Cancer Care Nova Scotia is a program of the Department of Health, created to reduce the burden of cancer on individuals, families and the health-care system through prevention, screening, education and research.