A client requests screening for cervical cancer. Which test should the nurse expect the provider to use?

• A. Prolactin level
• B. Pap test
• C. Vaginal ultrasound
• D. Endometrial biopsy

Answer: (B)

Cervical cancer screening relies on the Pap test, which collects cells from the cervix to look for precancerous changes or early cancer. The sample is taken from the transformation zone where the most common cervical cell changes occur, and the lab examines it for abnormal cells that may need further evaluation or treatment. This early detection is why the Pap test is the standard screening tool. The other options aren’t used for cervical cancer screening: a prolactin level is a hormonal test unrelated to cervical changes, a vaginal ultrasound images pelvic organs but does not assess cervical cell changes, and an endometrial biopsy examines the uterine lining rather than the cervix.