Pelvic and back pain

Will a pap show if you have ovarian or uterine cancer? I have been in pretty constant pain in the left quandrant of my lower back and lwft pelvic area for over two weeks. Thought it may be UTI but UA came back normal. Doctor said may be stons or diverticulitis - I don't think so - had many kidney tests over the years. Know that oclon is ok -concerned about ovary and uterous. Am I safe if last pap 12/07 was normal?

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Dear Lamblee,

thank you for your question. Dear Vegas, thank you for your excellent response.

Pap smear is a wonderful screening test for cervical cancer.  A pap smear procedure is as follows:

during the pelvic exam, a speculum is placed into the vagina. The cervix which is the bottom part of the uterus is seen at the top of the vagina.  The cervix is the doorway to the uterus. It is the part that dilates in labor to a allow a newborn baby to leave the womb - uterus.

The cervix is swabbed with a cutip or other device such as a spatula or cytobrush.  The swab is hen either wiped onto a slide  (conventional pap smear)  or rinsed into a vial (thinprep or autocyte).  The slide is stained or the thinprep vial is processed.

The slides are looked at microscopically.

The cells that are picked up are both the skin cells of the vagina and cervix and the glandular cells of the canal of the cervix.

Because of this wonderful test, the incidence of cervical cancer in countries that have pap smear screening programs, the incidence of cervical cancer is very low.

In fact, in the United States, the leading risk factor for the development of cervical cancer is NOT having a pap smear within 5 years.  It is tragic to miss this cancer as it is so highly preventable.

Now, pap smears are NOT screening tests for anything else such as uterine cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus (endometrial cancers) or the muscle wall of the uterus (sarcomas)) or ovarian cancers.

Occasionally a pap smear will pick up abnormal cells that have floated down form the uterus or the fallopian tubes, But that is rare.

Your pain is not normal (but it does not mean you have cancer), it is important that you follow up with your doctor and see if anything shows up over time.

best wishes

[vegas2cr]

I am not Dr. Goodman but I can tell you from personal experience a normal pap smear means nothing.. In December of 06 I had a normal pap smear and in April of 07 5 months later I was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer....It was through exploratory surgery that it was found...
Don't know your age but ask for a transvaginal ultrasound and a CA 125 blood test... from there you could have a CT scan etc.. See a gynecological oncologist who is an expert in this field... and good luck  Ronni