Cases of cervical cancer misdiagnosis as a result of false negative Pap smear exams have been reported across the country, spurring a class action investigation into the labs processing the samples.

Cervical cancer misdiagnosis could potentially cause death or require more invasive treatments. Cervical cancer is a highly aggressive cancer that quickly progresses in just a few months.

Cervical cancer misdiagnosis cases have already allegedly resulted in at least one death, after a Florida woman died in 2011 from cervical cancer. The woman had been reportedly given a cervical cancer misdiagnosis in 2008, after her Pap smear exam results gave her a false negative.

By the time the cancer was diagnosed, the disease was already at an advanced stage and ultimately took her life.

Her husband later sued the medical lab that had processed her Pap smear results, for allegedly failing to identify alarming cell types from the cervix sample. The jury overseeing the case agreed, awarding $15.8 million in damages to the woman’s family.

Pap smear exams work by collecting cell samples from the cervix, which are then examined under a microscope to look for any indications of cancer or precancerous cells. If the test picks up any abnormalities, patients often undergo more invasive procedures including endocervical scraping and cone biopsies to collect more samples of cervical tissue.

Pap smear exams can detect almost every form of cervical cancer cell and are very inexpensive, making them one of the most important medical tests for women’s health in the United States.

Overview of Pap Smear Exam Importance

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 13,240 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the United States each year, with about 4,170 women dying from the disease. Before the development of Pap smear exams 60 years ago, cervical cancer was one of the most common causes of death for women in the United States.

Pap smear exams are very effective in preventing cervical cancer, as they also detect precancerous cells before even reaching stage one cancer. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, with women undergoing regular and properly processed Pap smear exams facing almost no risk of cervical cancer.

The American Cancer Society encourages women to start getting regular Pap smear exams at 21, with older women also encouraged to get tested every five years. According to the Center of Disease Control, Pap smear tests were ordered in approximately 17.4 million physician consultations and in almost 3.5 million hospital outpatient visits in 2015.

This means medical labs are slammed with numerous Pap smear exams every day, often overwhelming technicians. This means cervical cancer misdiagnosis is possible due to overly exhausted lab technicians, making diligence very important on the medical lab’s part.

Cervical cancer misdiagnosis from a false negative Pap smear exam may result in the woman discovering the disease at stage three or four — often late enough to make treatment far more complicated.

Women who experienced cervical cancer misdiagnosis from a false negative Pap smear exam in the last five years could be entitled to compensation and may be eligible to participate in a cervical cancer lawsuit investigation.