Cytyc Awarded Sole Source Contract for the ThinPrep Pap Test by the U.S. Department of Defense.

BOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Cytyc Corporation (Nasdaq:CYTC) today announced that it has won a sole source contract from the United States Department of Defense ("DOD") to provide the ThinPrep(R) Pap Test as the platform for cervical cancer screening at armed forces cervical cancer screening centers worldwide. The DOD negotiates contracts on behalf of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines and Airforce. The new contract period commenced on October 1, covering the next governmental fiscal year and includes four (4) one-year option periods.

Under previous agreements with the Army in 2001 and the Navy and Air Force in 2002, the use of the ThinPrep Pap Test has been implemented at armed forces medical treatment facilities worldwide, including major medical centers in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

"We are extremely pleased that the United States DOD will continue its commitment to the ThinPrep Pap Test. We are also very proud to be providing the 'state of the art' preventative medical care to our dedicated service women at home and stationed around the globe," said Patrick J. Sullivan, Cytyc's chairman and chief executive officer.

About Cytyc Corporation

Cytyc Corporation is a leading medical device company that designs, develops, manufactures, and markets innovative and clinically effective products primarily focused on women's health. Cytyc products cover a range of women's health applications, including cervical cancer screening, breast cancer risk assessment, and treatment of excessive menstrual bleeding. The ThinPrep(R) System is the most widely used method for cervical cancer screening in the United States. The ThinPrep System consists of the ThinPrep(R) 2000 Processor, ThinPrep(R) 3000 Processor, ThinPrep(R) Imaging System, and related reagents, filters, and other supplies. The ThinPrep System also provides the platform from which the Company has launched its expansion into breast cancer risk assessment with the FirstCyte(R) Breast Test. Cytyc Surgical Products, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cytyc Corporation, manufactures and markets the NovaSure(R) Impedance Controlled Endometrial Ablation System, or the NovaSure(R) System, an innovative endometrial ablation device to treat menorrhagia, or excessive menstrual bleeding.

Cytyc is traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol CYTC. Cytyc, ThinPrep, FirstCyte, and NovaSure are registered trademarks of Cytyc Corporation.

Forward-looking statements in this press release are made pursuant to the provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, statements relating to the Company's financial condition, operating results and future economic performance, and management's expectations regarding future growth opportunities, product acceptance and business strategy, constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among others, dependence on key personnel and proprietary technology, uncertainty of product development efforts, product acceptance, management of growth, risks associated with litigation, the effective integration of acquired businesses and technologies, competition and competitive pricing pressures, risks associated with the FDA regulatory approval processes and any healthcare reimbursement policies, and other risks detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading "Certain Factors Which May Affect Future Results" in its 2003 Annual Report on Form 10-K and its most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any such statements to reflect any change in Company expectations or events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.