Whether they are experiencing the signs of cervical cancer or not, sexually active women should have regular Pap smears to look for irregular or abnormal cells. If such cells are present, medical providers should follow up with diagnostic tests such as:
Colposcopy — using an instrument called a colposcope to look at the cervix
Biopsy – taking a sample of the abnormal tissue for further testing
Endocervical scraping – scraping and removing samples of tissue lining the endocervical canal
Cone biopsy – a cone-shaped piece of tissue is removed from the cervix
A physician who does not oversee diagnostic testing or misinterprets results can cause successful treatment to be delayed. This delay could be fatal.