There are many reasons why your doctor might find abnormal or unusual cells on your Pap test. Fortunately, an abnormal pap smear doesn’t always mean you have cervical cancer. Apart from cervical cancer, an abnormal pap smear can also be caused by the human papillomavirus. This is the most common sexually transmitted infection and can cause mild, moderate, or severe changes to your cervical cells. Read on to find out more about what causes abnormal pap smear results.
The Importance of Regular Screening
A regular pap smear showcases normal squamous cells, and the majority of these cells look like fish scales. With a normal Pap test result, there will be no changes to the structure and shape of the cervical cells. However, even if your Pap results do not show atypical squamous cells, you must be screened regularly. During these screenings, you can also ask more about what causes abnormal pap smear results.
The advantage of regular screening tests is that they may identify infectious agents that would otherwise end up causing problems if they are not dealt with. If these agents are detected early, it will be easier to carry out treatment and maintain your health.
Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance (ASCUS)
ASCUS is the most common Pap smear result. All it means is that there are atypical squamous cells on your pap smear, but it’s not certain that the abnormalities are caused by HPV. To determine if the ASCUS is caused by HPV, your doctor will do an HPV test. If the results are negative, the doctor might recommend an estrogen cream to find out if the abnormalities are caused by hormonal changes. If the HPV test comes back positive, your Pap smear doctor will conduct a few more follow-up tests.
What Can Cause Abnormal Pap Smears Besides HPV
There are several factors that can come into play when it comes to what causes abnormal pap smear results. For instance, you can get abnormal Pap smear results from irritation, yeast infection, polyps, and hormonal changes that occur during menopause and pregnancy.
While these things can lead to changes in the appearance of your cervical cells, they are not associated with cancer in any way. You can ask your doctor about what can cause abnormal pap smears besides HPV, and they will explain it to you.
Low-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion
Low-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions, also called LSIL in short, simply mean that there are minimal changes to the appearance of your cervical cells that are usually caused by HPV infection. While these changes to your cells are low-grade, they must be taken seriously. With this result, the cells lining the outer cervix will display early precancerous features.
To monitor LSIL, health care providers usually schedule follow-up appointments to see if the changes will not worsen. Fortunately, in about 90% of people, these changes will go away on their own. However, 10% of the people with these changes will develop cancer.
Depending on your previous cervical cancer screenings, your doctor might recommend a colposcopy. The doctor will then combine the colposcopy and the pap smear results to determine the best next step. For most young women under 24, LSIL usually goes away on its own.
High-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion – HSIL
HSIL indicates that cervical cells are severely abnormal, and there is a high risk of them developing into cancer if left untreated. Once the doctor notices this, they will likely ask you to come back for a colposcopy. Fortunately, with treatment, these lesions will go away and won’t lead to cancer. It’s important to note that once these lesions are noticed, you will need frequent cervical cancer screenings in the years following this finding to ensure that your cervical cells remain normal.
Atypical Glandular Cells of Undetermined Significance – AGC
There are two main types of cervical cells which include glandular cells and squamous cells. Both these cells can undergo changes depending on the cause of abnormalities. While it’s more common to notice atypical squamous cells, it’s also possible to note some changes in the glandular cells, which happens in an AGUS result.
Following this observation, your doctor will prescribe a colposcopy to take a closer look at the cervical glandular cells. Sometimes it might also be necessary for them to take an endometrial biopsy for further observation.
Adenocarcinoma in situ – AIS
Adenocarcinoma in situ simply means that there is an advanced lesion in the cervix. This type of lesion is referred to as precancer. The lesion will likely turn into cervical adenocarcinoma if you don’t receive treatment. Before treatment can start, the doctor will probably ask you to return for a colposcopy.
Cancerous Cells
Some abnormal pap smear results will point to cancer. To be certain of this diagnosis, your doctor will order a colposcopy and a biopsy. During a colposcopy, the doctor will insert a speculum into your vagina. The procedure of insertion is a lot similar to what they do during a pap test. However, unlike with the PAP smear, the doctor will view the cervix with a colposcope. This tool features a lens and a bright light that enables the doctor to properly view the cervix. During this process, the doctor will also swab your cervix with vinegar to highlight any suspicious-looking areas.
What to Do If You Have an Abnormal Pap Test Result
The first step after getting an abnormal Pap test result is to have more tests to find out if you have any infection. Tests will also be done to find out the extent of the cell changes. For instance, you may need the following tests:
- Colposcopy – this test uses a lighted magnifying tool to get a closer view of the cervix.
- An HPV test – the HPV test is done on a sample of cells collected from the cervix.
- A follow-up Pap test in about six months to a year
Before you start receiving treatment, your doctor will usually do a colposcopy. During this procedure, the doctor will take a small tissue sample from the cervix to get a closer look. The type of treatment you will get depends on what changes are observed in the Pap results and the colposcopy. In moderate to severe cases, the doctor will attempt to destroy or remove abnormal cells.
Have you had abnormal PAP results before? This can be a scary experience, but it shouldn’t be. If you are worried about your results and you have a lot of questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our highly skilled experts will explain everything to you in a manner that you will understand.
