The Pap smear is a test used to distinguish normal cells from abnormal cells in the cervix. During a pelvic exam, a physician scrapes some cells from your cervix and smears them on a slide, and then sends it to a lab for analysis. Abnormalities are classified based on how much of the cervix is affected, the degree of changes, and the type of changes. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, there are six results considered abnormal.
Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC--US)
This result means some changes have occurred in the cervical cells. It is the most common result among irregular Pap tests, and means that women will need to have another Pap test to establish the nature of these abnormalities more definitively.
More often than not, this result means that you have a Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection. There is no treatment for HPV, but the body usually rids itself of the infection on its own, says the Mayo Clinic.
Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL)
This result indicates that the Pap test has found some low-grade abnormal cells that could indicate precancer. Low-grade changes almost always indicate that an HPV infection is present. However, LSIL is very common and usually goes away on its own without treatment. Doctors may recommend more frequent Pap tests to monitor any further changes.
Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL)
HSIL indicates that the test has found high-grade changes in the cervical cells. Women should take this result seriously, because they may need to seek treatment to remove these irregular cells. Carcinoma in situ (CIS) is a severe form of HSIL, since it will more likely progress to cancer than low-grade changes
Atypical squamous cells, cannot exclude HSIL (ASC--H)
This fourth result indicates that changes have occurred in the cervical cells, but it was not possible to tell whether they are low-grade or high-grade changes. If a woman receives this result of her Pap test, then her doctor will probably advise her to have another test.
Atypical glandular cells (AGC)
In this result, the laboratory analysis found cell changes that suggest precancer of the upper part of the cervix or uterus. Physician will probably suggest that patients undergo a colposcopy--a test that allows them to look at the cervix in more detail through a magnifying device. If the cells have spread into the upper part of the cervix, patients will probably need to have them removed with a minor surgical procedure.
Cancer
The most serious (and also the least likely) result of a Pap test indicates cervical cancer. In this case, abnormal cells may have spread deeper into the cervix or to other tissues. Patients will need to work with their physicians to come up with a treatment plan. Fortunately, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if detected early, cervical cancer remains one of the most easily treated cancers and has a very high survival rate.
References
- The Boston Women's Health Collective, "Our Bodies Ourselves for the New Century", Selected Medical Practices, Problems and Procedures Simon & Schuster, 1998
- American Congress of Obstetricians and Gyneocologists: Understanding Abnormal Pap Smear Results
- Mayo Clinic: HPV Infection: Treatments and Drugs
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:Gynecologic Cancers:Cervical Cancer
