The vaccine being tested only targets one of four cancer-causing strains of HPV, but it's certainly an important step in the right direction. Since HPV is sexually transmitted, both girls and boys might be immunized before the teen years when many of them become sexually active. If a Pap test is abnormal, the doctor must decide whether to simply follow up with a repeat test in four to six months or do a colposcopy. A colposcope is an instrument equipped with a magnifying glass and a light. The physician uses it to closely examine suspicious areas on the cervix.
Cauterization destroys abnormal tissue using heat, electricity or chemicals.
It can be done in a physician's office or in a hospital on an outpatient basis. Usually, no anesthesia is necessary. Cauterization is considered very safe. However, occasionally it causes scarring that makes future Pap smears difficult to interpret. Cryosurgery destroys tissue by application of extreme cold in the form of liquid nitrogen.