What does it mean when your Pap smear is abnormal?
What is an abnormal Pap test? When your doctor says that your Pap test, or Pap smear, was abnormal, it means that the test found some cells on your cervix that do not look normal. A Pap test may be done as part of a woman’s routine physical exam, because it’s the best way to prevent cervical cancer.
Does abnormal cervical cells mean cancer?
Abnormal test results don’t mean that you have cancer. An abnormal cervical screening test result does not mean that you have cervical cancer. It means that cervical cell changes were found or that cells are infected with HPV. Depending on the results, you may need follow-up testing or treatment.
What does an abnormal colposcopy mean?
Abnormal result About 6 in 10 colposcopy results are abnormal. This means the tests done during colposcopy or biopsy have confirmed you have cell changes. Possible abnormal results include: cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) cervical glandular intraepithelial neoplasia (CGIN).
Do abnormal HPV cells go away?
They usually go away on their own and do not require treatment. CIN 2 changes are moderate and are typically treated by removing the abnormal cells. However, CIN 2 can sometimes go away on its own. Some women, after consulting with their health care provider, may decide to have a colposcopy with biopsy every 6 months.
Should I be worried about an abnormal pap smear?
Most abnormal Pap smear results are nothing to worry about Most women will have at least one abnormal Pap smear result in their lifetime, with an overall average of 5% of all Pap tests coming back as “abnormal.” In most cases, the abnormal result is nothing to worry about, but it’s important to follow up to make sure.
What is the next step after an abnormal pap smear?
What Happens After an Abnormal Pap Test? If your Pap test results are abnormal, your doctor may recommend a colposcopy. If you’re told that you need a colposcopy, don’t panic, says Coleman.
What happens if colposcopy is positive?
You may need treatment if the results of your colposcopy show that there are abnormal cells in your cervix. The abnormal cells will be removed, which usually involves removing an area of the cervix about the size of a finger tip.
What did George Nicholas Papanicolaou do for women?
The Pap test is a diagnostic procedure used to test for cervical cancer in women. Papanicolaou’s work helped improve the reproductive health of women by providing an effective means of identifying precancerous cells and improving the likelihood of early treatment and survival of cervical cancer.
What does it mean when Pap smear results are abnormal?
Abnormal results. This term is used to indicate that the cells collected from the Pap smear may be precancerous. If the changes are low grade, it means the size, shape and other characteristics of the cells suggest that if a precancerous lesion is present, it’s likely to be years away from becoming a cancer.
How did Papanicolaou determine the time of ovulation?
Papanicolaou looked for traces of blood in guinea pigs during the sexual cycle as a means to identify the time of ovulation. He performed daily examinations of vaginal fluid from guinea pigs but found no traces of menstrual blood, such as that found in other mammals like cows, humans, and other primates.
What does a negative Pap test mean for cervical cancer?
Negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy This category means that no signs of cancer, pre-cancer, or other significant abnormalities were found. There may be findings that are unrelated to cervical cancer, such as signs of infection with yeast, herpes, or Trichomonas vaginalis (a type of sexually transmitted disease), for example.
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