A pap test or pap smear is a test that physicians use to look for changes in the cells of the cervix, the opening of the uterus that sits at the top of the vagina. During a pap test, a physician or nurse practitioner will collect sample cervical cells to view under a microscope. A pap smear can help identify early signs of cervical cancer. The most common cause of cervical cancer is the human papillomavirus, or HPV.
Abnormal Results
Abnormal test results do not mean that a woman has cancer. It simply means that abnormal cells have been detected. Abnormal cells can lead to cervical cancer. Precancerous cells are called dysplasia or squamous intraepithelial lesions, or SIL. Dysplasia can be mild, moderate or severe, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. If a woman receives an abnormal test result physicians may order an HPV test or perform a more detailed examination with a colposcopy, which allows for a magnification of the cervix. There is always a slight chance of a false positive and physicians may suggest a repeat pap test.
Causes
The most common cause of abnormal pap results is the human papillomavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are over 40 types of HPV and they can cause genital warts and cervical cancer as well as cancer of the vagina, penis, anus and vulva.
Symptoms
Often HPV has no discernible symptoms. When a woman has a type of HPV that causes genital warts, she may notice flat or raised flesh-colored bumps that have a cauliflower appearance on the labia, vulva or anus. However, genital warts can occur inside the anus, vagina and penis making them difficult to see. When a person has a type of HPV that causes cervical or other types of cancers, there are often no symptoms at all.
Transmission
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease. The most common way of contracting HPV is through vaginal, anal or oral sex with a person who has HPV. It is possible for a person to have HPV without having any symptoms as the illness can lie dormant for long periods, according to the FamilyDoctor.org.
Treatments
When a woman has a pap smear that reveals mild dysplasia due to HPV, physicians may want to perform a repeat test in six months because some forms of HPV will resolve on their own without treatment. If a woman has moderate to severe dysplasia, the physician often must remove the abnormal cells. A physician may perform this procedure in the office or in an outpatient center using heat or cold to destroy the cells or using an electrical current to excise the abnormal cells from the cervix. If a patient is diagnosed with cervical cancer, treatments can range from removal of the cervix to chemotherapy and radiation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
