PathAdvantage Journal
Welcome to our PathAdvantage Journal. We strive to keep you up to date with the latest in testing, treatments, biopsy techniques and clinical management guidelines as part of your patient care team. We also welcome dialogue, feedback and questions from providers on topics you’d like to read more about.
Chlamydia: What Do We Know?
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by infection with the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. It is the most frequently reported infectious disease in the United States with over 2.2 million diagnosed cases in 2020. The majority of infections are among young women aged 15-24 years....
What is the Preferred Method for Cervical Cancer Screening?
Cervical cancer screening has undergone significant changes over the last few decades. In the mid-1970s, over 50 percent of women were having annual Pap tests (in the form of the conventional Pap ‘smear’) which would begin at 18 years old and continue annually until death. However, more...
Trichomoniasis Diagnoses: What Do We Know?
Trichomoniasis: What Do We Know? Trichomoniasis is an extremely prevalent sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by infection with the parasite, Trichomonas vaginalis. Most infected women (85%) are asymptomatic and may be surprised to discover their diagnosis upon routine pap smear or STI...
A Modern Approach to Cervical Biopsies
Pain and bleeding are hallmarks of traditional cervical biopsies that can prevent patients from seeking routine follow-ups. As a result, clinicians face obstacles when diagnosing patients. The need for a less distressing biopsy is important to provide a more cumulative picture of the patient’s...
HPV: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?
HPV: What Do We Know? While Human Papillomavirus, HPV, is one of the most researched and highly understood viruses in the medical community, there is no one-size-fits-all clinical presentation. Quite often, healthcare providers are faced with unique and unconventional...
My Pap Test Diagnosis Reads “bacteria consistent with Actinomyces species” — What Should I Do?
"My pap test diagnosis reads 'bacteria consistent with Actinomyces species' — what should I do?" At PathAdvantage, we are often asked the above question; we receive swabs for cultures of the vagina or an IUD (with request to identify Actinomyces), or a request for...
Using P16: How, When, and Why
Providers and even patients may question why p16 appears so frequently on reports (and bills) when it comes to cervical/endocervical biopsies. The use of p16 in cervical biopsies improves the accuracy of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) diagnosis and grading and decreases its...