Introduction
According to the American Cancer Society, or ACS, an estimated 11,270 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2009. In the same year, as many as 4,070 people are estimated to lose their lives to the disease. These numbers are relatively low in comparison to cervical cancer deaths in the 1950s through the 1980s. According to the ACS, cervical cancer deaths have dropped as much as 72 percent since 1955, largely because of an emphasis on regular Pap smear testing.
Squamous Cells
According to the National Cancer Institute, a Pap smear is used to detect cancer or pre-cancer cells in the cervix. This is in hopes of catching and removing abnormalities before they progress into cervical cancer. Pap smears take a close look at particular cells called squamous cells. The squamous cells are flat cells that cover the surface of the cervix. If a slightly abnormal looking squamous cell is discovered during a pap test, an ASCUS test, short for "atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance," can be performed on the sample to look for signs of viruses that are known to contribute to the formation of cancer. The most common of these viruses is the human papillomavirus, or HPV. If no virus is present, the slightly abnormal cell may be of no worry. If HPV or another virus is present, the doctor may want to run additional tests.
Precancerous
Some squamous cells from a Pap smear may be more than slightly abnormal. Your doctor will look at the size and shape of the cell to determine whether it may be pre-cancerous. Pre-cancerous cells can then be referred to as squamous intraepithelial lesions. According to the Mayo Clinic, squamous intraepithelial lesions are still years away from developing into cancer in most cases, but they still need immediate attention to prevent the cells from progressing into cervical cancer.
Squamous Cancer
In some Pap smear results, a doctor can tell right away that cervical cancer is present. These results show signs of definite squamous cancer cells. Squamous cancer cells show definitive abnormal growth and require immediate attention and the development of a treatment strategy.
Biopsy
Regardless of how abnormal a cervix squamous cell may look in the results of your Pap smear, your doctor will most likely perform a biopsy if there are any abnormalities. A biopsy is done as part of a colposcopy. A colposcopy allows the doctor to take a magnified look at the tissue of the cervix, and take an actual tissue sample from any abnormal cell growth areas called a biopsy. This tissue sample can then be sent to a laboratory to test for definitive signs of cervical cancer.
