Abnormal Pap Smears Treatment Specialist in Las Vegas, NV

After receiving an “abnormal” result from a pap smear, it is completely normal to experience some anxiety. Pap smears are typically used to assess the health of the cells located in the vagina and cervix, and an abnormal cell reading will simply communicate to the physician that further tests should be completed in order to rule out cervical cancer. The Pap smear is the first step for preventative care, so regularly receiving them according to the schedule that was recommended to you by your physician based on your age and medical history will ensure that even if there is a presence of pre-cancer cells, the condition will be caught early on and can be easily treated.

Cervical cancer is the most serious diagnosis that you can receive from an abnormal Pap smear, but it is also the most unlikely diagnosis. The most common result from an abnormal Pap smear is a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which has no cure but symptoms can be easily managed through prescription medication or through treatment from a healthcare provider. Other common abnormal results from Pap smears include other types of sexually transmitted infections including gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, or trichomoniasis. Yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis can also be identified through a Pap smear and will provide an abnormal result. So, it is likely that you will require some form of treatment for an abnormal Pap smear result, but only 1% of the time is the result indicative of cervical cancer. Finding pre-cancerous cells is also nothing to worry about too much, as it can take years for these cells to develop to the point of becoming cancers if they ever do. This is why regularly scheduled Pap smears are essential for preventative care, because catching pre-cancerous cells before they have mutated makes the treatment much easier and simpler.

If your physician determines that the abnormal results are potentially cancerous, they will recommend a coloscopy, which is very similar to a Pap smear but uses a magnifying glass so that the physician is able to have a closer look at the cells on the cervix to identify the “grade” of abnormality of the cells. Low-grade abnormal cells will likely not require any sort of treatment as they are in the very early stages of becoming abnormal, and will often eventually return to normal on their own. This grade poses no actual concern because even if the cells continue to mutate, it will take a long time before they pose a threat. Cells that have changed due to an HPV infection will appear as low-grade changes. High-grade cells will appear quite differently from the surrounding healthy cells and will often be pre-cancerous cells that have a higher risk of eventually developing into cancer cells. This means that even if there are high-grade cells present, they will probably not mutate into cancer cells but will let the physician know that maybe more frequent Pap smears should be completed over the following years to ensure that the risk of cancer does not increase.

Other common follow-up options following an abnormal Pap smear include another Pap smear to double-check the results, an HPV test, a biopsy to remove cell samples from the endocervical canal, or a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP).

If a Pap smear test reveals abnormal results, the physician will follow up with other tests to determine an accurate diagnosis for the abnormal cells. Patients should not worry at this point as it is very unlikely that an abnormal Pap smear result will be indicative of cervical cancer. If the abnormal cells are deemed to be pre-cancerous, your physician will likely recommend that you schedule Pap smears more regularly just to keep an eye on the changing cells to intervene whenever necessary. Identifying abnormal cells from a Pap smear is totally normal and is nothing to stress over as your physician will be able to determine the cause of these abnormal cells very effectively and will provide any treatment methods necessary to follow up.

If you have abnormal pap smears, do not delay your treatments. Get the right treatment from our specialists at Evolve Gynecology. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 851 S. Rampart Blvd #260 Las Vegas, NV 89145. We serve patients from Las Vegas NV, Summerlin South NV, Sun City NV, Spring Valley NV, Winchester NV, Paradise NV, and surrounding areas.