Understanding an Abnormal Smear

Receiving a letter about an abnormal smear can be unsettling, and it’s completely normal to feel anxious or worried. However, it’s important to know that an abnormal result almost always indicates a minor, pre-cancerous change, not cervical cancer. It simply means your smear test has successfully identified a potential issue that can now be addressed. Abnormal smears are quite common – about 1 in 12 smears come back abnormal – but it’s extremely rare for these abnormalities to be cancerous.

What does it mean if I get an Abnormal Smear result?

The abnormality found in a smear test can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe. The medical term for an abnormal smear is dyskaryosis. Even if your smear shows severe dyskaryosis, it typically means changes are present that usually occur 5-10 years before cervical cancer might develop.

• Borderline grade is almost normal, sitting between a normal result and mild dyskaryosis.
• Low-grade smears (borderline and mild) often return to normal on their own without any treatment.
• High-grade smears (moderate and severe) frequently require treatment.

Regardless of the grade, further examination is recommended to investigate any abnormality further.

What causes an Abnormal Smear?

Abnormal smears are primarily caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), also known as the wart virus. HPV is a very common infection; in fact, 60-70% of women (and men) will contract it at some point in their lives. While most people (around 95%) will clear the virus naturally through their immune system, in some individuals, it can persist and lead to abnormal cervical cells.

Your next steps will depend on the grade of your abnormal smear:

For low-grade changes (mild dyskaryosis and borderline) you may be advised to have a repeat smear test, or you might be referred to a gynaecologist for a colposcopy. If the colposcopy confirms the changes are mild, you might be told to “watch and wait”, as there’s a good chance it will clear up on its own. It’s crucial to attend all follow-up appointments as advised by your GP or gynaecologist.

If you have high-grade changes (moderate and severe dyskaryosis), you will be referred to a gynaecologist for a colposcopy and potential treatment. If left untreated, these high-grade changes carry a risk of progressing to cancer over 5-10 years, so make sure you see someone as soon as you can.

We currently don’t provide a colposcopy examination; however, we can run other tests, including another smear. Speak to us about our Well Woman Package that includes a consultation, scan, smear test and infection screening swab from £590