Women's Health
Should I worry about abnormal Pap test results?
Ask the doctor
My Pap test results came back as abnormal. Does this mean I have cervical cancer, or is there another possible explanation?While nearly 4% of all Pap tests are flagged as abnormal, most of those findings don't indicate cancer. Indeed, most are benign and may result from a cervical or vaginal infection. Frequently, Pap tests show changes related to the presence of human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can cause genital warts and precancerous changes that need further testing. While HPV is a virus, it is not a typical infection. Most women are exposed to it at some point during their lifetime and become carriers of the virus after they are exposed. HPV does not often cause symptoms, and it can come and go — so just because your Pap shows you carry the virus today does not mean the test will still show the virus a year or two later.
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About the Author
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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