Today, cancer of the cervix is rare and easily treated in women who have regular Pap smears. While an abnormal Pap smear may be a sign of cancer, many different changes on your cervix can cause an abnormal Pap smear. Pap smears can be abnormal if the cervix is inflamed or irritated. This can be caused by an infection of the cervix, douching, menopausal changes, or irritation. The cervix may also be going through some changes called dysplasia.
Dysplasia means the cells on the Pap smear look abnormal under the microscope.
Dysplasia isn't the same thing as cancer but may lead to cancer if it is not treated. Because your Pap smear was abnormal, more information is needed. An abnormal Pap smear is a general sign that something may be wrong. You may need another Pap smear or a colposcopy. If your doctor sees an area that doesn't look normal, he or she will usually put some numbing medicine on your cervix and take a small piece of tissue from that area.