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Making sense of your Pap &
HPV Test Result FAQs

Q. When my Pap test is not normal that mean I have cancer or a precancerous condition?Q. What are the common terms used to describe simple infections with HPV and why do they need colposcopy?Q. What does it mean when my Pap test saysAtypical Squamous CellsUndetermined Significance (ASCUS)?Q. What should I do if my Pap test is ASCUS and my HPV test is negative?Q. What should I do if my Pap test is ASCUS and my HPV test is positive?Q. What should I do if my Pap test is LSIL?Q. What does it mean when my Pap test saysAtypical Squamous Cells: Cannot Exclude High-Grade SIL (ASC-H)?Q. What does it mean when my Pap test saysHigh-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion (HSIL)?Q. What does it mean when my Pap test saysAtypical Glandular Cells?Q. What does it mean when my Pap test is negative but my HPV test is positive?Q. What should I do if my Pap test is negative but my HPV test is positive?

Making sense of your Pap & HPV Test Result

When a woman is told that her Pap test is not normal it is not unusual to be both frightened and confused. However, it is important not to panic. The key to understanding what to do about Pap tests that are not normal is to understand the terminology. Understanding the terminology that doctors use, the true risks involved with each kind of abnormality and how each abnormality is evaluated will help a woman feel more in control and less scared. Your health care provider may attempt to simplify the result and use terms like abnormal, slightly abnormal, equivocal, unclear, level 3, level 4,etc. These are not actual medical terms and will not help you understand the significance of your abnormal test. You should ask your health care provider for the exact category of the abnormal Pap test and preferably get a copy of the report.