Overview

The Pap test (also called a Pap smear) is a screening test for cancer of the cervix, which is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. The test can help your doctor find early changes in the cells that could lead to cancer.

The sample of cells taken during your test has been sent to a lab so that an expert can look at the cells. It usually takes a week or two to get the results back.

What do the results mean?

• A normal result means that the test did not find any abnormal cells in the sample.
• An abnormal result can mean many things. Most of these are not cancer. The results of your test may be abnormal because:
  • You have an infection of the vagina or cervix, such as a yeast infection.
  • You have low estrogen levels after menopause that are causing the cells to change.
  • You have cell changes that may be a sign of precancer or cancer. The results are ranked based on how serious the changes might be.

If the results were abnormal, you may need to have other tests. If the results show changes that could be a sign of cancer, you may need a test called a colposcopy, which provides a more complete view of the cervix.

Sometimes the lab cannot use the sample because it does not contain enough cells or was not preserved well. If so, you may need to have the test again. This is not common, but it does happen from time to time.