What is a bad Pap smear?
A "bad," or abnormal, Pap smear means that the results of your pelvic exam indicated a problem. While this can mean that cervical cancer has been detected, that is not always the case.
"Bad" results
Pap smear results that are not normal are generally classified by the Bethesda System 2001. This classification system rates pap smear results as normal, which means nothing unusual was found, or unsatisfactory, benign, atypical, low-grade changes or high-grade changes, all of which indicate unusual circumstances. The Bethesda System will also identify cancerous results.
Unsatisfactory
An "unsatisfactory" pap smear means that not enough cervical cells were gathered or that the sample was compromised.
Benign
A "benign" pap smear means that abnormal, noncancerous cells were found, These usually are the result of vaginal infection or irritation.
Atypical
"Atypical cells of uncertain significance" indicates that abnormal cells were found, but that further testing is needed to determine the reason for these cells.
Low-Grade Changes/High-Grade Changes
"Low-grade changes" is a result frequently associated with HPV infection, which has been linked to cervical cancer. This may sometimes be followed up by testing for high-risk HPV infection. "High-grade changes" often indicates unusual cells associated with cancer.
Sqamous Cell Carcinoma or Adenocarcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma results mean that one of these types of cancer are present.
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