What is an Abnormal Pap Smear

In this video, Gynecologic Oncologist T. Scott Jennings discusses pap smears, what an abnormal pap smear might indicate, and how often pap smear screenings come back with a "false positive."

What Could An Abnormal Pap Smear Indicate? T. Scott Jennings: An abnormal pap smear is an indication of anything from – remote as false positive, which are unfortunately most of them are falsely positive or to infection of various types or obviously, very sets of pre cancers or cancers of the cervix. Pap smears do not pick up uterine cancer or ovary cancers. You look at this as really a screen, so for cervical health of the neck of the uterus essentially. How Often Do Tests Come Back With a “False Positive?” T. Scott Jennings: The rate has decreased the last couple of years with better pap smear screening technology, but you know, up to 1 on every 20 is going to be falsely positive. So ever pap smear that comes back abnormal it's necessarily a bid deal sometimes. You have to look at it very closely and what they’ve had in the past, and then we'll kind of follow up, evaluation needs to be done.