Physicians evaluate new device to test for cervical cancer

(University of California - Riverside) When a woman has an abnormal pap smear she usually undergoes colposcopy. Typically a metal instrument is used to obtain a small sampling of cells inside the cervix--an oftentimes painful procedure for the patient. A clinical faculty member in the UC Riverside School of Medicine and colleagues have tested an alternative device called fabric-based endocervical curettage. This less painful device had significantly fewer 'inadequate' specimens--meaning, patient...