The Cancer Detectives 2024

This is the story of how a life-saving cervical cancer test became a routine part of women's healthcare. It highlights the remarkable individuals who made it possible: Dr. George Papanicolau, a Greek immigrant, his wife Mary, Japanese artist Hashime Murayama, and Dr. Helen Dickens, an African American OBGYN. The film also spotlights a new generation of female scientists, the cyto-screeners. After the test's success, a nationwide effort was launched to make pap smears accessible to millions, marking the beginning of a critical war against cancer and dramatically reducing a leading cause of death in women.

PBS

Studio

Amanda Pollak

Director

Gene Tempest

Director