What does an abnormal Pap result mean?
An abnormal Pap test does not mean you have cervical cancer. Approximately four million Pap tests are done every year in Canada. About 8% (over 325,000) have abnormal results. The number of women diagnosed with cancer is around 1400. The Pap test detects changes in the cells of the cervix. The cervix is the opening to the uterus at the end of the vagina. A doctor or nurse practitioner takes a sample of cells from an area on the cervix called the transformation zone. This zone divides the cells of the cervix from different ones in the uterus. This is an area vulnerable to abnormal changes. Changes in the cells could be a result of: • a vaginal infection or sexually transmitted infection (STI); • human papilloma virus (HPV), which is a specific sexually transmitted infection–some types of HPV are linked to serious cervical changes and cervical cancer; • being daughter of women who took DES (diethylstilbestrol) during pregnancy; or • hormonal changes that happen to post-menopausal women.
