Does a Pap Smear Detect Ovarian Cancer?

How is ovarian cancer diagnosed?

There’s currently no reliable test to screen for or diagnose ovarian cancer early.

Doctors can diagnose ovarian cancer early when someone has symptoms and is persistent in getting an answer for them. The symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:

• pelvic, abdominal, or back pain
• bloating
• a sensation of fullness too soon when eating
• decreased appetite
• nausea
• vomiting
• increased need to urinate
• urinary urgency
• constipation
• postmenopausal vaginal bleeding
• unusual vaginal bleeding
• new or unusual vaginal discharge

If you have any of these symptoms, especially unusual vaginal bleeding or postmenopausal vaginal bleeding, speak with your doctor or healthcare professional immediately.

Your doctor can take a medical history from you. Using this information, your doctor can assess your symptoms, review your family’s medical history, and discover any risk factors.

If your doctor thinks you may have ovarian cancer, they may order one or more of the following tests:

• Imaging tests: These tests help your doctor see your ovaries, lungs, and other organs to check whether tumors may be present. The tests include:
  • transvaginal ultrasound (ultrasound)
  • CT scan
  • MRI
  • PET scan
  • chest X-ray
• Biopsy: During a biopsy, a doctor removes a small piece of your ovary so that healthcare professionals in a lab can test it to check whether cancer cells are present.
• Blood tests: Your doctor may order blood tests to check whether you have the typical level of blood cells and whether specific proteins are present in your blood, which may mean you have cancer. Your doctor may order the following blood tests:
  • complete blood count to measure your red and white blood cell levels
  • blood marker tests
• Genetic tests: Genetic tests like the following can help determine whether you may have a greater risk of developing ovarian cancer:
  • BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation testing
  • folate receptor-alpha testing
  • MMR gene testing
  • microsatellite instability testing
  • NTRK gene mutation testing

What does a Pap test diagnose?

A Pap test helps doctors diagnose cervical cancer. A doctor swabs a small sample of cells from inside and around your cervix and sends it to a lab for testing. If cancer cells are present, it means you have cervical cancer.

When should you get a Pap test?

The National Cancer Institute and the United States Preventive Services Task Force released recommendations for cervical cancer screening based on your age and medical history. Here are the current recommendations for when to get a Pap smear:

• Ages 21 to 29 years old: If you’re 21 to 29 years old, they recommend you have a Pap smear every 3 years, with your first Pap smear occurring at 21 years old.

• Ages 30 to 65 years old: If you’re 30 to 65 years old, they recommend you have these tests at these times:
  • human papillomavirus (HPV) test every 5 years
  • HPV/Pap co-test every 5 years
  • Pap test every 3 years

• Older than 65 years old: You may no longer need screening if you’re older than 65 years and have received recommended screenings with typical test results. However, if a recent Pap test or HPV test result was atypical or you haven’t received regular screenings over the years, you may need to continue screening beyond 65 years old. Talk with your healthcare professional to check what’s right for your situation.

Takeaway

A Pap smear doesn’t help doctors diagnose ovarian cancer. It’s a screening test for cervical cancer. There’s currently no easy, reliable screening test for ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer can be difficult to detect early because the symptoms can be those of many other conditions. They can include atypical vaginal bleeding or postmenopausal vaginal bleeding, back or abdominal pain, urinary changes, and others.

If you have unusual vaginal bleeding, contact your healthcare professional as soon as possible. Other tests may help diagnose ovarian cancer. If you have ovarian cancer, the earlier you can start treatment, the more likely you can experience a favorable outcome.