In most cases, treatment prevents cervical cancer from developing. It is important to follow up with your doctor right away to learn more about your test results and receive any treatment that may be needed. If your test results are normal, your chance of getting cervical cancer in the next few years is very low. Your doctor may tell you that you can wait several years for your next cervical cancer screening test. But you should still go to the doctor regularly for a checkup.
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Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. He or she will do this test to screen for cervical cancer and other problems. Experts base screening guidelines on your age and risk factors for cervical cancer. If you are at least age 21, you should start cervical cancer screening, even if you are not yet sexually active.
If you are younger than 30, you can likely be tested for cervical cancer every other year instead of yearly. If you are older than 30 and have had 3 normal Pap tests in a row, you can be tested once every 3 years.
If you are at high risk for cervical cancer, you may need more screenings more often the guidelines suggest. Especially if you have a weak immune system or have been treated for abnormal cervical cells in the past. If you are 65 to 70 years old and have had at least 3 normal Pap tests in a row and are not sexually active, and have had no abnormal Pap tests in the past, you may decide with your healthcare provider to stop cervical cancer screening.
A Pap test, along with a pelvic exam, is an important part of your routine healthcare. It can help find abnormal cells that can lead to cancer. Your healthcare provider can find most cancers of the cervix early if you have regular Pap tests and pelvic exams.
Cancer of the cervix is more likely to be successfully treated if it is found early. The Pap test is useful for finding cancerous cells, and other cervical and vaginal problems such as precancerous cells and inflammation.
Your healthcare provider may do a test for the human papilloma virus HPV at the same time as a Pap test. Infection with HPV is the most important risk factor for cervical cancer in women over age A person should not douche or put anything in the vagina to clean it before the test. Doctors do not recommend douching at any time. The American Cancer Society recommend that people between the ages of 25 and 65 should have an HPV test every five years.
After the age of 65 years, most women will not need a Pap smear or HPV test. Those who have had abnormal test results in the past and those who are sexually active with more than one partner may need more frequent testing. After a total hysterectomy , which is the surgical removal of the uterus and cervix, a Pap smear will no longer be necessary.
Anyone who has a hysterectomy because they had cancerous or precancerous cells should continue to have regular tests. Everyone has different needs, so it is important that people speak to their doctor about their risk factors for developing cervical cancer and their need for screening.
The test results usually take 1—3 weeks to come back. Most test results are negative, but they can sometimes be positive. A positive result does not confirm that a person has cancer, but it indicates that more investigation is necessary.
Sometimes the result is ambiguous. The doctor may ask the person to have more tests to monitor for any changes. These additional tests are likely to take place either soon after the first test or about 6 months later.
Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance ASCUS : These are mildly abnormal cells that do not meet the criteria for precancerous cells.
If HPV is present, the doctor may recommend additional testing. Squamous intraepithelial lesion : These lesions indicate possible precancerous cellular changes that are likely to need further testing. During a colposcopy, the doctor uses a colposcope to magnify the view of the cervix, vulva, and vagina for examination.
They may take a biopsy sample for evaluation in a laboratory. Low-grade lesion : The risk of a low-grade lesion imminently progressing to cancer is minimal. High-grade lesion : A high-grade lesion has a high likelihood of becoming cancerous sooner rather than later. Atypical glandular cells : There are abnormal cells in the endocervix that will need further testing. Squamous cell cancer or adenocarcinoma : There is a likelihood of cancer, depending on the type of cell that is atypical.
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