If you've recently had a pap smear procedure performed, you may have gotten the results back saying you have cervical dysplasia. Don't stress yourself before understanding some basic information about cervical dysplasia and treatment. While this term may sound intimidating, it basically means the cells collected during the pap smear are abnormal and need to be investigated as a step in cervical cancer prevention.
Your doctor will want to perform a colposcopy to determine how advanced your condition is. In some cases, the colposcopy may determine that the cervical cells are in fact normal, and you will be relieved of any concern. In other cases, the level of abnormality-termed dysplasia-will be diagnosed through a viewing of the cervical cells through the colposcopy lens. This is a high-powered telescope or microscope which will shine a light on your cervix and allow the doctor to examine a magnified view of your cervical cells. The doctor will most likely also take a biopsy of tissue or sample of cells to examine more closely.
Dysplasia can be described in four different levels of severity.
Mild dysplasia is when very few of the cervical cells show any abnormality. Because the majority of the cells are healthy, there is little concern. You may be asked to get a pap smear every three to six months to make sure the dysplasia clears itself up.
Moderate dysplasia is when approximately half of the cervical cells are abnormal.
Severe dysplasia is when the entire surface of your cervix is covered with abnormal cells.
Invasive cervical cancer is when the cells on the surface of the cervix are abnormal, and the internal cells of the cervix are abnormal.
Moderate, severe and invasive dysplasia can be treated with a variety of methods, most of which involve removing the abnormal parts of the cervix if this is at all possible. You may need to undergo electrocauterization, during which a low-level type of radio frequency is used to cut away the abnormal parts of the cervix. If you are uncomfortable with this treatment, your doctor might choose to use cryosurgery to freeze abnormal cells.
Another treatment used is laser vaporization, which uses a laser to remove abnormal cells. One final type of treatment is cone biopsy, in which a cone-shaped segment of the cervix is removed. Because these treatments threaten fertility, your doctor will be careful to perform the least invasive and least severe treatment possible, especially if you wish to have children in the future.
Your doctor will discuss the severity of your dysplasia and the treatments available with you before performing any particular procedure. Ask your doctor the necessary questions so you can make an informed choice.
 | Learning that your pap smear results are abnormal isn't necessarily reason to panic, so don't jump to the conclusion that you have cervical cancer. Around half of abnormal results point to minor cervical conditions that aren't cause for worry, but do follow up with your doctor to determine a plan for an exact diagnosis and treatment plan. |
 | If you receive a notice saying you have abnormal pap smear results, do not panic. This does not necessarily mean you have cervical cancer. |
 | Pap smears are minimally invasive, painless ways to check for abnormal cervical cells. |
Most women dread going through a yearly pelvic exam and Pap test. The annual check can potentially save your life, so women need to understand the process and follow up procedures and what to do if abnormal pap smears result. |
While pap smears are conducted as preventative measures to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer, there are many reasons for abnormal pap smear results that don't automatically mean you have cervical cancer. |
