It's a procedure that goes by many names: Pap smear, Papanicolaou test, Pap test, cytology or simply a ‘Pap.’

At MD Anderson, we refer to it as a Pap test, but whatever you call it, you may have questions about this procedure, who needs it and what to expect at your appointment.

I’m answering those questions here and sharing some exciting news about how Pap tests may be changing in the near future.