The Memorial Health Center has acquired a new, more sensitive Pap test, called the Thin Prep Pap test.
The Pap test is used to test for precancerous cells in the cervix. Cervical cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer for women, but can be successfully treated if found early.
The health center, as well as most private gynecological practices, has completely converted from the conventional Pap smear to this new method.
Thin Prep has many advantages over the smear method. It opens a lot of doors in gynecological testing. Previously, a separate specimen had to be collected to test for chlamydia and gonorrhea. Now, these two sexually transmitted diseases can be tested for as well as precancerous cells.
Also, the Thin Prep Pap test allows medical professionals to clearly detect human papilloma virus, several strains of which can increase risk of cervical cancer.
Dr. Nancy Merrill of the SMU Health Center has been very impressed with the process’ benefits.
“The quality is unbelievable,” Merrill said. “[Thin Prep’s] sensitivity and specificity are excellent.”
One reason the method is highly advocated by doctors is that almost none of the sample is wasted.
“We used to take the sample and smear it on a glass slide,” health center nurse Beth Kitchell said. “Now with Thin Prep, the specimen goes over to the lab in a liquid medium.”
With the smear method, the swab is wiped on a slide and much of the sample is simply thrown away. Through the Thin Prep method, the swab is dipped in the liquid-filled Thin Prep vial, where a filtration process disperses the cells.
One disadvantage to the new method is its higher cost. The test costs $50 vs. $30 for the old pap smear.
Merrill, however, says that the test’s benefits far outweigh the cost and that the center found the best possible price for the test.
“The test is truly the standard of care,” she said. “We did competitive pricing and looked at different labs. The woman who runs the lab is very impressive.”
Merrill also said that the cost for Thin Prep should go down at some point and added that the health center’s costs are even lower than Planned Parenthood’s.
It is recommended that women between the ages of 18 and 65 get a Pap test every one to three years, depending on sexual activity.
