Cervical dysplasia screening

Pap Smear
Cervical dysplasia that is seen on a Pap smear is called squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL). These changes may be graded as:


 * Low-grade (LSIL)
 * High-grade (HSIL)
 * Possibly cancerous (malignant)

If a Pap smear shows abnormal cells or cervical dysplasia, further testing or monitoring will be recommended:


 * Follow-up Pap smears may be recommended for mild cases
 * Colposcopy-directed biopsy can confirm the condition
 * Cone biopsy may be done after colposcopy

Dysplasia that is seen on a biopsy of the cervix is called cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). It is grouped into three categories:


 * CIN I -- mild dysplasia
 * CIN II -- moderate to marked dysplasia
 * CIN III -- severe dysplasia to carcinoma in situ

Some strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) are known to cause cervical cancer. An HPV DNA test can identify the high-risk types of HPV linked to such cancer. This may be done:


 * As a screening test for women over age 30
 * For women of any age who have a slightly abnormal Pap test result