What does it mean when you have an abnormal pap smear? Could I have cancer? What is the worse case scenario?

Answer 1

An abnormal PAP says that there was something out of the ordinary found. This could be something as simple as a little blood on the slide (from the way the doctor did the scraping) to sperm left over from a sex act too close to the test to actual abnormal cells found.

What will happen first is they will do a repeat PAP. If that comes back abnormal, they will schedule you for a Colposcopy; they will use a chemical to make the abnormal cells appear and take biopsies of those sites.

Depending on the results of these tests, you can have anything from cryosurgery (where they freeze off the abnormal cell growths) to conical biopsy (they might cut a portion of your cervix away), to full uterine hysterectomy (with perhaps chemo or radiation IF cancer was found). The last two are pretty severe scenarios - if this is your first abnormal PAP and you get them faithfully EVERY year, the chances that they caught the abnormality early is very good.

Cervical/uterine cancer is pretty rare and very slow growing, so your chances of a full recovery are VERY good.

Go here for some more info AND talk to your doctor:
http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancerinfo/types/cervical

Answer 2

Depends on what abnormality is showing up. Pap smears are graded, I thru IV, I think, based on the type of atypical cells seen. If the cell is abnormal or suggestive of something more, the doc will do further tests to more definitively identify what the cells are. If they are suggestive of cancer cells, biopsies can be done of the cervix, endometrium or lining of the uterus, etc. There are lots of things that can show up as atypical, like infections, yeast, etc. Best thing is to get follow-up as soon as possible. Can't do anything about it if you don't know what it is.

Answer 3

yes you can have cancer or pre cancerous cells. when i had an abnormal pap a year ago i had cervical cancer i had to have it removed asap and now i go to have a pap every 6 months instead of once a year to make sure it does not come back. it could also mean you have an STD if they tested for them. call your doctor and ask silly

Answer 4

Chances of developing cancer are there.

Answer 5

worst case it is cancer and you have a few years to party before you die.

almost as bad - you have cancer and they remove all your plumbing - you start hormone replacement therapy. do your homework - the artificial stuff can give you breast cancer and you loose your boobs and then you die.

hopefully it is just a bad test run and it's nothing at all.