title: George N. Papanicolaou, M.D. Father of modern cytology. A 30-year commemorative.
abstract: Thirty years have passed since the death of the renowned Dr. George N. Papanicolaou, a man of conviction and discoverer of the Pap smear. Despite difficulties and opposition he remained persistent and developed a method for early cancer detection. Subsequently, use of the Pap smear has resulted in a 70% decrease in cervical and uterine cancer deaths in the last 40 years. It is considered a reliable technique and is still expanding by being applied to other organs and systems and in the use of fine needle aspiration.
authors.affiliation: University of Miami School of Medicine.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Palatianos
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Cintron
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Narula
mesh_terms: D003585:Cell Biology / Q000266:history*; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000266:history; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D049673:History, 20th Century; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D014481:United States; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000266:history