What to Do After an Abnormal Pap Test

Having an abnormal Pap test sounds frightening, but it is not a certaincancer diagnosis. It means that you could have an infection, abnormal cervical cells, orcervical cancer. The good news is that Pap tests have helped protect many women from cervical cancer diagnoses and deaths. This is because these routine tests can help find precancerous cervical abnormalities early, when they can be more easily treated.

To perform aPap test, your doctor will use a small instrument and swab to collect samples of cervical cells from different areas of your cervix. These cells are sent to a laboratory where a technician examines them under a microscope for abnormalities. This procedure is sometimes referred to as a “Pap smear” because the cells obtained are “smeared” onto a glass slide to be examined under a microscope.

Abnormal Pap test results can cause you a great deal of anxiety and worry, but it is important to remember that an abnormal Pap test result rarely means that you have cervical cancer. Of the estimated 55 million Pap tests that are performed in the United States each year, about 3.5 million come back abnormal. In most cases, an abnormal Pap test result just means that you have a minor change in your cervix.

What Does “Abnormal” Mean?

如果你的医生说你的巴氏试验是“正常" or "negative," that means that there were nosigns of cervical cancer, pre-cancer, or significant abnormalities found in your cervical sample. If, however, your Pap test result is reported as anything other than this, it means that some type of abnormality was found in your cell sample. The possibilities include abnormal areas of tissue, possibly related to ahuman papillomavirus(HPV) infection or even cervical cancer.

However, while an abnormality may not be considered cervical cancer, other abnormalities, generally referred to as the presence of “abnormal cells of uncertain significance” or as “dysplasia,” increase your risk of developing cervical cancer in the future.

Many abnormalities found by a Pap test go away by themselves. Because of this, some women will be simply be asked to return for a repeat Pap test in three to six months. However, you need to talk with your doctor about what your results could mean for you and what you should do next. Your doctor may recommend further testing and perhaps treatment to find out more about your abnormality and reduce the likelihood that you will develop cervical cancer.

Cervical Cancer Screening: Further Testing

Any follow-up testing that your doctor recommends after an abnormal Pap test depends on your age and the severity of the abnormality. Your doctor can discuss your options with you, explain how each test works, and help you decide which test is best for you.

Follow-upscreeningoptions may include:

• Repeat Pap tests.If there is a good chance that your abnormality will go away on its own, your doctor may simply recommend that you come back for another Pap test in a few months.
• Colposcopy.Acolposcopyallows your doctor to examine your cervix with a magnifying instrument and look more closely for areas of abnormality.
• Biopsy or endocervical curettage.If an abnormal area is seen on your cervix, your doctor may take a tissue sample for further testing at a lab.

Follow-up testing is important, since it can help your doctor determine the likelihood that your cervical abnormality will develop into cervical cancer. In some cases, you may need treatment, such as a loop electrosurgical excision procedure, cryotherapy, or laser therapy, to remove or destroy the abnormal tissue to reduce your risk of cancer.

Regular Pap tests are essential since they can spot abnormalities before they turn into cancer. To protect your health, follow your doctor's recommendations regarding how often to get Pap tests and attend to any follow-up tests or treatments your doctor recommends if you receive an abnormal Pap test result.