Number of physician office visits during which pap tests were ordered or provided. View messages from patients providing insights into their medical experiences with pap smear results. It is important to remember that almost all abnormal pap test results are not due to cancer. This monograph essentials of pap smear and breast cytology is prepared at the request of a large number of students in cytology who wish to have a small and concise book with numerous illustrations for easy reference during their laboratory training. Many women feel anxious or worried when they are told their pap test result is not completely normal. Until recently, most doctors and laboratories categorized pap test results in five classes, with cclass 1 being a normal finding and class 5 being a positive finding of cancer of the cervix. Jody gets the log report of all pap smear results once a wk 4. Doctors give unbiased, helpful information on indications, contraindications, benefits, and complications. The pap smear is usually done in conjunction with a pelvic exam. Sometimes a test is done with the pap smear to determine if the cerix is infected with a strain of hpv that would put you at a higher. Other reported pap smear results, such as infections or atypical cells, are explained in detail in the next section.
It can also reveal changes in your cervical cells that may turn into cancer later. The test detects changes in the cells of the cervix prior to the development of clinical problems. About one in every ten pap smear results will have a comment. Note that although pap smears are a very good tool, they are not perfect and false negatives do occur, which is yet another good reason to get. Definition of pap smear nci dictionary of cancer terms.
The pap smear test usually takes anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes to complete. Pap smear additional resources imaginis the womens. A negative pap smear result means that no cell changes were detected, so theres no reason for. It may be an infection or inflammation that also affects the appearance of the lining cells. Screening pap smear a screening pap smear and related med ically necessary services provided to a woman for the early detection of cervical cancer including collection of the sample of cells and a physicians interpretation of the test results and. This is because you have an hpv infection that is likely to be cleared by your bodys immune system within the next 12 months.
A report of low grade abnormalities means that minor changes were found. The pap test checks for cell changes on a womans cervix that could turn into cancer if they are not treated. The cell sample is then sent to a medical lab for evaluation, and you should get your results within a few days. Nov 3, 2011 my pap test showed some abnormal changes but nothing conclusive. Not all problems need treatment, and those that do can be treated quite easily and usually very successfully. The best way to detect cervical cancer is by having regular papanicolaou tests pap smears, or cervical cytology. A pap smear is a safe way to screen for cervical cancer. A pap test sometimes called a pap smear is a screening test during which a sample of cells is taken from a womans cervix and vagina. A pap smear can detect certain viral infections such as human papillomavirus hpv, which is known to cause cervical cancer. Oct 30, 2010 pap smear results posted in general health and safety tips. The bethesda system involves using a number of descriptive terms.
Getting your pap smear results your doctor, nurse or health worker will usually receive your pap smear result within two to four weeks. If you have had an abnormal pap smear results in the past, waiting is even more stressful. Jul 19, 2019 cervical cancer screening is an important part of preventing cancer or detecting it early. You and your doctor should keep a close eye on it, such as by scheduling a repeat pap test. A pap smear is a simple, quick, and essentially painless screening test procedure for cancer or precancer of the uterine cervix. Cervical cancer basic facts on screening and the pap test.
A normal pap smear result means that all the cells in the sample looked the way they should. An abnormal pap smear result means that some of the cells of the cervix look different from the normal cells. A pap smear is a test that checks for changes in the cervix, which may be an early sign of cancer. A pap smear is a quick and painless test that involves a simple swab of your cervix with a cotton swab. At least half of all women 50 to 80 percent whose pap smears are classified as abnormaldont have cervical cancerdont have a condition that will become cervical cancerfor a woman who has regular pap smears, abnormalities detected by the test are most apt to be very early precancers.
The table in appendix 2 explains the technical terms used to describe abnormal pap smear results. Jun 19, 2019 a pap smear or pap test is a simple procedure that looks for abnormal cell changes in the cervix. What is the best approach for patients with ascus detected on. If the results of your pap test come back positive, that means your doctor found abnormal or unusual cells on your cervix. I was just wondering how long it ususally takes for pap smear results to come back. Shatin, hong kong pap smear screening is a multistep process that involves recruitment of patients, taking smear, making and reading slides and issuing reports to alert clinicians to take appropriate action. Interpretation of pap smear reports bts has been developed to improve the communication between cytopathologists and clinicians so that the latter can be better informed on the findings on the slides. Pap smear screening begins at age 21 regardless of when sexual activity starts. Classification of cervical cancer cells in pap smear screening test 1236 where, 1, 2, 1, 2 are mean and standard deviation values accrued in the x and y directions individually. Patients in grade iii must receive more aggressive treatment, so that. The papanicolaou pap smear is widely credited with reducing mortality from cervical cancer, and remains the single best method for the early detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Papanicolaou test also called pap smear, pap test, cervical smear, or smear test is a screening test used to detect potentially precancerous and cancerous processes in the the endocervical canal transformation zone of the female reproductive system.
Not all problems need treatment, and those that do. Pdf comparison results of pap smear and colposcopy and. A negative report usually described as normal means that no significant changes were seen in the cells. Understanding your pap smear cervical screening test results. Receipt of pelvic examinations among women aged 1544 in the united. Getting the test results for pap and hpv should take anywhere between 1 and 3 weeks. Find out what pap smears say about your cervical health. A pap smear, which detects cervical cancer in women, is based on a cell scraping taken from the cervix, which is then read by a pathologist who writes a brief report. Abnormal findings are often followed up by more sensitive diagnostic procedures and if. Trends in cancer screening from health, united states. A pap smear or pap test is a simple procedure that looks for abnormal cell changes in the cervix. Pap smear listen pap smeer a procedure in which a small brush or spatula is used to gently remove cells from the cervix so they can be checked under a microscope for cervical cancer or cell changes that may lead to cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer has been found to be the fourth most common cause of cancerrelated deaths among women globally. The presence of these cells on a pap smear result is called a lowgrade squamous intraepithelial lesion. Pap smear screening in the primary health care setting. Pap test performance was significantly higher in those who had higher knowledge p pap test results. The more you understand, the easier it will be to make informed decisions about followup care. Pap smear results are usually available to patients within two weeks. Understanding your pap smear cervical screening test. These changes are caused mostly by an infection called the human papilloma virus hpv. Female exam and pap smear a female exam is done to check for diseases of the vagina, cervix, uterus and ovaries. Adolescentsyoung women 20 and below are not recommended to have a pap test or hpv testing. Ppap smear reportingap smear reporting the pap smear reporting classification has evolved and been refined over time.
The pap smear is very commonly done, but the results are often ambiguous and the need for followup sometimes is unclear. Management of abnormal pap smear clinical practice. Pdf pap smear screening results for turkish pregnant women. Accuracy of pap smear utilization selfreport within a threeyear period was assessed by comparison with pathology records. The bethesda system tbs is the most commonly used system to describe pap smear results, though some labs use older system such as the cin cervical intraepithelial neoplasia system or the class system. The current reporting system is the bethesda system, which was introduced.
Early treatment of precancerous changes detected on the pap smear can stop cervical cancer before it fully develops. Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. Pap test results pap tests, pap smears, hpv, cervical cancer. Management of abnormal pap smear clinical practice guideline. This important test tells you a lot about your health, so you may be anxious just to know all is well. This guide to abnormal pap smear results will help you understand what your doctor is trying to tell you.
After 2 negative pap smears are obtained, usual screening may resume. The cervix is the lowest part of the uterus, located at the top of your vagina the pap smear. Pap smear or pap test is performed to check for cervical cancer in females. It can take as long as 10 years for these conditions to become cancerous. Jan 14, 2016 a cervical smear test or pap test, or smear test is quick and only mildly uncomfortable, but can help detect and prevent changes that could potentially lead to cervical cancer in the future. Understanding abnormal cervical cancer screening results.
If normal result then jody sends result in mail and if abnormal then either calls or sends mail with recommendation to schedule an appointment. If a pap smear is performed without an hpv test, the presence of abnormal cervical cells may indicate the need to perform an hpv test to determine whether hpv infection is the. Cervical cancer basic facts on screening and the pap test what is cervical cancer. When these abnormal cells are present in the cervix, it is called cervical cancer, or cancer of the cervix.
Its possible to receive falsenegative results meaning that the test indicates no abnormality, even though you do have abnormal cells. Aug 23, 2018 the pap smear test is a helpful screening tool to detect changes in the cells of the cervix that may have the potential to lead to cervical cancer. Your screening results indicate you do not need further followup at this time but you should have a repeat test in 12 months. Knowledge about cervical cancer and pap smear and the. My wife has done her pap smear test and i am seeing these two results superficial and intermediate squamous cells and acute inflammatory cells positive. In women 30 or older, a pap smear may be combined with a test for human. The pap smear test results are reported as a grade. The current reporting system is the bethesda system, which was introduced in 19886 and later updated again in 1999 table 1.
The following is a brief summary of terms and acronyms commonly used to categorize pap results. Pap smear involves the scraping of the cells from the cervix, which is a narrow, lower end of the uterus, present at the top of the vagina. Highgrade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is somewhat more likely to turn into cancer. But if either of the repeat pap smears results in ascus or worse, the woman should be referred for colposcopy sor. A pap smear can detect hpv, a virus that causes cervical cancer. A crosssectional study conducted on 50 women with pcb. This study was designed to compare results of pap smear and colposcopy and histopathology in women with post coital bleeding pcb at any age. A falsenegative result doesnt mean that a mistake was made. This means you pap smear was interpreted by the pathologist as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or commonly known as ascus. A pap smear, also called a pap test, is a procedure to test for cervical cancer. Its recommended once every three years for women starting at age 21, regardless of whether or not you.
Results indicated that almost half of the women who have not had pap smears within three years will be missed by a selfreport measure of utilization. A normal pap smear reading means that there are no cell lesions or malignancy noted. Pap smear test results show the presence of abnormal, precancerous or cancerous cells in the cervix, which is the lowest part of the uterus that opens at the top of the vagina regular pap smears can help detect cervical cancer. Your pap smear test results is said to be positive if any abnormal or unusual cells are. After a second year abnormal pap smear result, coming back as low grade, my result was sent to the hospital. You should contact your doctor or nurse to find out the result. If you are the owner of a vagina and vulva, chances are youre familiar with the routine pap test, also known as a pap smear. Cancer of the cervix cervical cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer related death among women worldwide. Understanding your pap smear cervical screening test results the pap smear test has now changed to the cervical screening test. List of common pap test acronyms womens health network.
However, two modifications have been made since the introduction of bts and changes in the terminologies and definitions may cause confusion. If hpv testing is unavailable, an alternative strategy is to repeat the pap smear at 4 to 6month intervals. Laboratories generally report pap smear results to the doctor a few weeks after the test is performed. A pap smear, also called a pap test, is a routine screening procedure for cervical cancer. As the drawing shows, the cervix is the lower, narrower part of the uterus.
The papanicolaou test abbreviated as pap test, also known as pap smear, cervical smear, cervical screening or smear test is a method of cervical screening used to detect potentially precancerous and cancerous processes in the cervix opening of the uterus or womb or colon in both women and men. Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates have halved in australia since the introduction of the national cervical screening program in 1991. Grade iii the lining cells are definitely disturbed. Women should have their first pap smear within three years of their first sexual activity or by age 21.
Pap smear test procedure, results interpretation health. This means there were changes identified in the cells, recommendation is to check the hpv test on that pap smear specimen. A pap smear is a microscopic examination of cells in an effort to identify cervical cancer or precancerous irregularities in the cells. Ask your doctor, nurse or health worker to explain exactly what type of abnormality has been detected or is suspected on your pap smear. Cervical cancer screening is an important part of preventing cancer or detecting it early. A pap test, also called a pap smear, is an exam a doctor uses to test for cervical cancer in women. It doesnt mean you have cervical cancer most often, the abnormal test. Cells collected from a womans cervix during a pelvic exam are spread on a microscope slide for examination. Abnormal pap smear results can be worrisome, at least until a second pap smear reveals more information. It involves collecting cells from the vagina and cervix the lower, narrow end of the uterus thats at the top of the vagina. Most information and illustrations in this book are extracted from the authors. Entropy is a measure of nonuniformity in an image based on. You need to discuss the results of your pap smear with your doctor again so you better understand what was found. The result of a pap smear test is said to be negative when only normal cervical cells were discovered during your pap smear, and additional tests or treatment wont be required until youre due for your next pap smear.
Pap screening may end at age 65 if the pap history is unremarkable and the patient is low risk. The pap smear test is a helpful screening tool to detect changes in the cells of the cervix that may have the potential to lead to cervical cancer. Pap test results are either normal or abnormal, depending on whether. Understanding pap smear test, results, abnormalities.
1692 1428 385 228 858 1595 727 1554 1586 933 1661 192 1474 1369 510 189 237 1016 1487 337 515 1489 591 1508 906 455 567 1403 1417 257 1005 710 753 1163 1473 1419 1354 1001 332 399 369 1116 473 1133 1100 1153 144