Early Cancer Detection

The 13-cent stamp honoring Dr. George Papanicolaou (1883–1962) was first available on May 18, 1978, at Washington, D.C. Paul Calle designed the stamp. A Greek immigrant (1905), Papanicolaou was on Cornell Medical School's staff. His studies found that cancerous tumors of the uterus and cervix could be discovered and diagnosed by examining cells found in vaginal secretions. His test, known as the "Pap Test," is widely used for early cancer detection in women.