Further testing shows she may have cervical dysplasia and will possibly need surgery. Although abnormal cells can be a precursor to cancer, they are not necessarily a diagnosis of cancer.
Cervical dysplasia describes the entire range of possibilities for abnormal growth.
Some women with cervical dysplasia have the growths removed with no problem and no recurrence, whereas others will develop cervical cancer. Detecting and treating dysplasia early on is an essential step towards preventing cancer. For this reason most gynecologists will act quickly to remove any lesions in the cervix and require subsequent Pap smears to check for any additional growth in the future. For this reason it is equally important that a woman with cervical dysplasia get tested for HPV as it is for a woman with HPV to get a regular Pap smear. Women who begin having sex at an early age, who smoke and who are exposed to multiple sexual partners are at a higher risk of developing cervical cancer.