Pap Smears - How are They Done - Properly?

[VH-MLE]

I have had a thread running (which didn't attract much attention unfortunately) on cervical cancer and spread to the lymph nodes.

Basically, my wife has always had her regular pap smears at two yearly intervals in line with recommended medical practice and each had always returned a completely normal result.

In May 2005, my wife was diagnosed with cervical cancer, despite having had a pap smear 14 months earlier that was deemed normal. Her 2 oncologists have suggested that given the size of the tumour at the time of initial diagnosis, it would definitely have been there when she had the pap smear that was deemed normal. As far as staging goes, her cervical cancer was staged as a 2A, which meant it hadn't spread beyond the immediate area and with convential treatment (radiation and chemotherapy), the cure rate was in the vicinity of 90%. Until relatively recently everything had been going well but a semi recent CAT/PET scan revealed cancercous lymph nodes that have now been removed but have unfortunately changed my wife's prognosis from good to not so good.

Needless to say I am extremely angry at how this situation developed in the first place (she is only 42 and we have 3 kids aged 4, 7 and 10 and is deeply loved by us all) and I am seeking answers as to why/how this situation developed in the first place.

Therefore to the medical fraternity out there, I would be extremely grateful for your procedure for conducting pap smears and the safeguards you may or may not have in place to prevent a situation such as the one we are currently experiencing from taking place.

Thankyou in anticipation.

VH-MLE