What do caregivers check for in a Pap smear?
Caregivers carefully look at the cells from your cervix. They will compare them with how normal cells from the cervix look. Your Pap test results can be any of the following: • Normal: All your cells look normal and your results are negative for cervical cell problems. • Abnormal: Caregivers find cells that look different from normal ones. When you have abnormal cells, it may mean one of the following: • Abnormal cells: This is also called cervical dysplasia (dis-PLAY-zhah). This is when some of your cervical cells are abnormal but you do not have cancer. Cells in this stage are precancerous, which means that later on they could become a cancer. • Inflammation: This is irritation or swelling in your cervix. This can be caused by an infection in your vagina. Ask your caregiver for more information about cervicitis. • Cancer: You may have cancer that is only in your cervix. If you have more advanced cancer, it may have grown and spread to other areas. What may happen if I have a positive
