Insufficient Screening

Doctors should perform yearly cervical exams and Pap Smear Tests on all female patients over 18 years old and on all female patients who are sexually active, regardless of age. Cervical exams and Pap Smear Tests may be indicated more often for some women in order to follow minor abnormalities identified on previous Pap Smear Tests. Regular screening is the only way to be sure that Cervical Cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, when it can be cured with proper treatment.

A doctor's failure to perform regular cervical exams and Pap Smear Tests can delay the diagnosis of Cervical Cancer and allow developing Cervical Cancer to grow and spread freely. The longer the delay in the diagnosis and proper treatment of Cervical Cancer, the fewer available treatment options remain and the greater the risks of complications and death.

A delay in the diagnosis of Cervical Cancer can prevent a woman from receiving proper treatment when the cancer still is at a stage when it may cured. As a result, a delay in the diagnosis of Cervical Cancer can cause a woman's completely preventable, needless death.