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My doctor told me that
my Pap smear is normal
but there was high-risk HPV detected
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What does it mean if there is HPV detected on my Pap?
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| If your Pap smear is normal this means that no abnormal or suspicious cells were seen on your test. Sometimes a Pap smear will report minor vaginal infections such as yeast or bacterial vaginosis. These infections do not cause cancer; therefore this is still a normal Pap test result.
However, if HPV is detected at the time of your Pap smear then there is a 20 times greater risk of an abnormality being present that the Pap smear missed or that something abnormal may happen over the next 2 to 3 years even if the cervix is normal now.
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Why is HPV testing done with the Pap smear?
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The Pap smear is a test that screens for cervical cancer but it is not a perfect test. Sometimes there are false positives (when the Pap suggests that there is an abnormality but in reality everything is normal) as well as false negatives (when the Pap reports a normal report but there really is something abnormal going on that the Pap missed.) By adding HPV testing to the Pap smear in women over 30, it makes it a more accurate screening test.
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When should I repeat the Pap smear and HPV test?
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| You should repeat the Pap smear with the HPV test in 6 months. Many women will clear the HPV infection on their own (there is no medicine available to treat it).
By following closely, we can identify any abnormalities that may develop on the cervix if the Pap becomes abnormal. Or if the HPV infection is persistent over a year or longer then a test called a colposcopy should be done to make sure the Pap smear has not missed anything. Either way this ensures early recognition of a problem that can be easily treated.
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| www.theHPVtest.com |
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