A Pap smear is an important screening test for women’s health and well-being. If a Pap smear test is negative, it means no abnormality was identified in the cells. However, it doesn’t always come out negatively, and it may sometimes turn out to be positive, indicating that there’s an abnormality in the cells. Let’s have a look at the things that can cause an abnormal Pap smear.
What does an Abnormal Pap Smear Mean?
A Pap smear is a procedure to detect the presence of cervical cancer or pre-cancer in the cervix, which lies in the lower part of the uterus. An abnormal Pap smear means the cells collected from the cervix show abnormalities. There are several things that can cause an abnormal Pap smear, and it need not always be cervical cancer. After a positive test result, doctors will conduct further tests to identify the underlying cause.
What Causes an Abnormal Pap Smear?
A Pap smear result might be normal, abnormal, or inconclusive. Abnormal results can mean many things, and they need not always be dangerous. Here are some reasons why your Pap smear test may come back abnormal.
- HPV
Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, is a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI). It spreads through vaginal, oral, or anal sex. HPV is a group of 200-plus viruses, out of which 40 spread through direct sexual contact. Some of the strains lead to cancer or genital warts. Some of the viruses, such as HPV, can cause certain types of cancers, such as cervical cancer.
- Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer can be identified through a Pap smear. Cervical cancer is curable if detected at an early stage, which is why having routine Pap smears is a must. Several factors cause cervical cancer, including smoking and taking oral contraceptives for a long time.
- Cervical Dysplasia
These are the cells in the cervix that are not cancerous, but if left untreated, can become cancerous.
- Trichomoniasis
This is a non-viral sexually transmitted infection. A Pap smear can detect the cellular changes caused by this.
- Apart from these, abnormal cells can be due to reasons that need not be of concern, like it may be due to having sexual intercourse or using tampons before the Pap test. It may also be an error on the part of the lab that evaluated the results.
Is it Normal to Have An Abnormal Pap Smear?
Cells in the cervix may be abnormal depending on several factors, and it need not always be cancerous. It may also be due to certain infections in the region. Early detection of cervical cancer is possible only through the Pap test, and hence, a routine Pap smear can help identify cervical cancer at the earliest, plan treatment, and save lives.
Using protection during sexual intercourse and taking the HPV vaccine can help protect from HPV and prevent getting abnormal Pap smears.
What are the Next Steps in Treatment?
Once you identify that there are abnormal cells in the Pap test, your healthcare provider will conduct a few tests to assess your condition. Colposcopy, biopsy, and techniques for removing the abnormal tissue, including LEEP and Cryotherapy. Once you identify abnormal cells on the Pap smear, the test will be repeated in the same year to make sure everything is negative. Not all abnormal Pap smear tests are dangerous; avoid using a tampon or having sex before the Pap test, as it can sometimes lead to positive results. Also, try to avoid testing while on your period, as it may cause a false positive.
Conclusion
A Pap test or Pap smear is used to identify any abnormalities in the cells of the cervix region, which can help to identify pre-cancer or cancerous cells. A positive result means that there are abnormalities in the cervical cells. You need not always worry about an abnormal Pap test result, as it may be due to several reasons and not always due to the presence of cancer. If tested positive, your healthcare provider will further run a few more tests to assess the condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Other than HPV some other reasons for abnormal Pap smears are vaginal infections, inflammation in the cervix, or cell variations that are harmless.
No, you cannot detect STDs using a Pap test. It checks for HPV; however, it doesn’t detect the STDs.
No, a Pap test turning positive may be due to some other minor factors or lab errors, and it need not be due to cancer all the time.
There need not always be symptoms for the presence of abnormal cells in the cervix, which is why doing a routine test is important. In some cases, there might be symptoms such as bleeding, abnormal discharge, or pain.
Before a Pap smear, avoid using tampons, vaginal creams, douching, or having sexual intercourse 48 hours before the test. Try to avoid getting a Pap smear while menstruating.
References
- Abnormal Pap Test
https://www.nyp.org/healthlibrary/special/abnormal-pap-test
