Regular Pap smears are one of the best ways to lower your risk of cervical cancer, but getting an abnormal result can understandably cause anxiety. What you might not know is that about one in five women have had an abnormal result, and it doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer.
At Plainsboro Princeton Medical Associates in Plainsboro Township and Monroe, New Jersey, experienced internal medicine physician Aruna Chakala, MD, offers a range of women’s health services, including Pap smears. Keep reading to learn what an abnormal result means and what steps to take next.
A Pap smear doesn’t screen for cancer directly. Instead, it checks your cervical cells for potential changes that could become cancerous over time.
Many things can cause cervical cell changes, but the most common is the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that often has no symptoms but can still cause changes in your cervical cells. Other infections, like bacterial, fungal, and protozoan, can also lead to abnormal results, even if they don’t link to cancer.
Some common types of abnormal results include:
ASC-H stands for atypical squamous cells and cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, which means your test identified abnormal cells that may become cancerous.
HSIL stands for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion. It refers to a more serious, precancerous change that typically needs treatment.
The good news, however, is that many of these minor abnormalities go away on their own and don’t lead to cancer.
If your Pap test result is abnormal, we often recommend additional testing to gather more information. This step typically involves a colposcopy, a procedure similar to a Pap smear but uses a magnifying lens called a colposcope that lets us inspect the abnormal cells more closely.
Once we’ve identified the abnormal area, we collect a biopsy (tissue sample) and send it to a lab for analysis. You might feel a slight pinch during this part of the procedure, but it will only last a second or two and doesn’t require any downtime.
Follow-up testing usually isn’t needed right away. We wait six months or longer in many cases before recommending additional screening.
If we identify a potentially severe abnormality, such as HSIL, we recommend additional testing within weeks of your Pap smear. Again, this type of result doesn’t mean you have cancer, but it’s critical to have it further evaluated.
Let us know if you have any unusual symptoms, such as:
Letting us know about any symptoms helps us decide the best next steps and how to guide your care.
If it’s been over three years since your last Pap smear, schedule your next screening today. Routine exams are the most effective way to catch cervical cancer when it's easiest to treat. Call our office at 609-799-5000 or request an appointment online today.
