Dr. MJ Bazos MD,
Patient Handout
Pap Smears: When
Yours is Slightly Abnormal
What did my Pap
smear show?
The Pap smear your family physician recently
obtained from your cervix (the lower part of your womb) has shown some slightly
abnormal changes. A Pap smear allows your doctor to look at cells from your
cervix and see if there are any problems. Your Pap smear showed one or more of
the following changes. Ask your doctor which of these changes you
have.
ASCUS
ASCUS (pronounced "ask-us") stands for atypical
squamous cells of undetermined significance. These changes in the squamous cells
of your cervix mean that the cells on your Pap smear were slightly abnormal.
ASCUS may be caused by a vaginal infection or an infection with a virus called
HPV (human papillomavirus, or wart virus). Your doctor will talk with you about
the options of looking at your cervix with a microscope (colposcopy) or
repeating your Pap smear every 6 months for 2 years.
AGUS
AGUS stands for atypical glandular cells of
undetermined significance. These changes in the cells of your cervix mean that
these cells were slightly abnormal on your Pap smear. AGUS can occur with
infections or with a change in the cells on the surface of your cervix or in the
canal of your cervix. Your doctor will tell you how the abnormal results on your
Pap smear need to be evaluated. Your doctor may recommend repeat Pap smears or
colposcopy.
LSIL
LSIL stands for low-grade squamous
intraepithelial lesion. This is a common condition of the cells of the cervix
and often occurs when the HPV wart virus is present. These changes in the cervix
can be present even if you and your sexual partner are monogamous and have never
had visible warts. Changes due to LSIL often get better with time. Your doctor
will talk with you about whether you need to have Pap smears every 6 months for
2 years or whether you should have colposcopy.
Inflammation
If inflammation is present in the cells on the
Pap smear, it means that some white blood cells were seen on your Pap smear.
Inflammation of the cervix is very common and usually does not mean there is a
problem. If the Pap smear showed that the inflammation is severe, your doctor
may want to find the cause, such as an infection. You may also need to have
another Pap smear in 6 months to see if the inflammation has
gone.
Hyperkeratosis
Hyperkeratosis is a finding of dried skin cells
on your Pap smear. This change in the cells of the cervix often occurs from
using a cervical cap or diaphragm or from having a cervical infection.
Hyperkeratosis rarely needs any more evaluation than a repeat Pap smear in 6
months. If the hyperkeratosis is still present on the repeat Pap smear, your
doctor may want to repeat your Pap smear in another 6 months or perform
colposcopy.
Please be sure that you let your doctor's office
know if you move or change your phone number so that you can be contacted with
the results of your Pap smears or to arrange any other follow-up tests you may
need.