A part of a woman's annual gynecological examination, a Pap smear takes a cell sample from the cervix. The University of Michigan University Health Center recommends regular Pap smears for women who are 21 and older or those who have been sexually active for at least three years. A Pap smear will detect an abnormality in a woman's cervix. One of the causes of an abnormal Pap smear is human papillomavirus, or HPV.
HPV
A sexually transmitted disease, HPV affects one in four women, according to Planned Parenthood. Many of the strains of HPV do not cause problems for women, but four strains cause genital warts and cervical cancer. Planned Parenthood notes that one in 1,000 women develop cervical cancer from HPV. The Pap smear can detect the changes to the cervix.
Detecting HPV
During a Pap smear, the health care professional takes a swab of the woman's cervix, collecting some cells that will be looked at under a microscope. A laboratory technician examines the cells from the cervix, looking for any abnormalities.
Results from Abnormal Pap Smear
If a woman has HPV, the Pap smear might come back as abnormal. Multiple types of cell abnormalities can come back as a result of HPV. The National Cancer Institute lists atypical squamous cells, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, endocervical adenocarcinoma and high-grade squamous intraepithelial leision as possible results from an abnormal Pap smear due to HPV. For example, atypical squamous cells are sometimes related to HPV. Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion indicates mild abnormalities caused by HPV. Endocervical adenocarcinoma indicate precancerous cells. When the Pap smear finds a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, the woman has more severe abnormalities in her cervix.
Follow Up
The National Cancer Institute points out that Pap smears are not 100 percent accurate, so a doctor will request follow up testing to see if HPV caused the abnormal Pap smear or not. Planned Parenthood lists the HPV test and a colposcopy as follow up tests to an abnormal Pap smear. With an HPV test, the health care professional collects another sample from the woman's cervix, then a computer checks the sample for changes from HPV. With a colposcopy, a doctor examines the vagina and cervix with a tool called a colposcope. If the doctor finds abnormal tissue, he will take tissue for a biopsy, which tests for the presence of cancer.
Treatment Options
If the follow up tests confirm that HPV caused the abnormal Pap smear, patients need to have treatment. The National Cancer Institute explains that if left untreated, the cancer can become invasive. Treatment options after an abnormal Pap smear due to HPV include cryotherapy, laser therapy, loop electrosurgical excision procedure and conization. With cryotherapy, the doctor freezes the cancerous tissue. Laser therapy uses an intense light to remove the malignant tissue. With the loop electrosurgical excision procedure, the doctor performs surgery by using a thin wire loop that has electrical current passing through it. Conization uses a knife, laser or loop electrosurgical excision procedure to remove a cone-shaped piece of tissue.
