Tests for Cervical Cancer — Page 2

Screening for HPV

If you are 30 years old or older, talk to your doctor about testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) when you have a Pap test. HPV is a widespread virus that can cause genital warts as well as cervical cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Some strains of HPV are more likely to raise the risk of cervical cancer than others.

Although the immune systems of most people attack the virus and clear the HPV infection within two years or so, that’s not always the case. The result can be cell changes in your cervix leading to cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

The HPV DNA test checks cells collected from your cervix for infection with any of the types of HPV that are most likely to lead to cervical cancer. Your doctor can use the same swab or an additional one to collect cells for both your Pap and HPV tests.

Understanding Pap test results

It can take several weeks to receive the results of Pap and HPV tests. If either or both tests are positive, your doctor will follow up to discuss any need for additional testing and possible treatment for abnormal cells that are not yet cancer.

Your Pap test results will be reported as normal, unclear, or abnormal. A normal result indicates no abnormal cell changes were found in your cervix.

It’s not unusual for a Pap test to come back neither normal nor abnormal but as unclear or inconclusive, the CDC points out. That means cervical cells may possibly be abnormal but not necessarily because of cancer-causing HPV. Instead, pregnancy, menopause, or an infection may have caused the changes. You’ll need to be tested for HPV to be sure the changes aren’t from the virus.

If your Pap test registers as abnormal, it doesn’t mean you have cervical cancer or a precancerous condition. It does, however, indicate cell changes on your cervix, likely caused by HPV. The changes will be scored according to their degree of abnormality — either minor (low-grade) or serious (high-grade).

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