Smear on abnormal cells

Today, a smear for atypical cells is performed almost every time a woman visits a gynecologist. Ideally, it should be conducted annually, then it allows you to detect them and conduct treatment in a timely manner, which excludes the development of cervical cancer.

This analysis is simple and cheap. In women's consultations, it is performed free of charge. It is also called a smear for cytology or a PAP test. The fence is taken by a gynecologist when the patient is in the examination chair. Then he puts it on the glass and sends it to the lab.

There the doctor paints the material and examines it under a microscope. The task of the specialist is to assess the correspondence of the size, shape and structure of the cells to the norm. If everything is in order, then the analysis is negative. If there are atypical cells present in the smear, the result is considered positive.

However, this does not mean that the patient has cancer. Changes in cells can occur in the presence of inflammation, which can be caused, for example, by STDs. So, the cytogram can be of 5 types:

• I - without features;
• II - inflammation caused by trichomonads, fungi, banal flora, gonococci, chlamydia, gardnerella, HPV and / or HSV;
• III - dysplasia of flat or cylindrical epithelium (weak, moderate, severe);
• IV - suspected cancer;
• V is cancer.

The result of the analysis on atypical cells depends on the quality of the material taken, as well as on the professionalism of the person who analyzes the slide. Therefore, mistakes occur quite often. Having received a positive result of the patient, it is necessary not to be upset, but to retake it and undergo a deeper examination. In this case, colposcopy is mandatory, an examination for infection, including mandatory for HPV stimulation, and if necessary, a biopsy.

Also, in order to obtain a reliable result, it is necessary to correctly pass the analysis. A smear can not be done during menstruation, ideally it should be performed from the 7th to the 11th day of the cycle. For two days before the study you need to exclude sex, use of vaginal suppositories, tablets, douching. It is advisable not to take a bath, but only to shower.

The massive use of analysis for atypical cells has reduced the death rate from cervical cancer by 70%. Basically, from malignant processes of the cervix, patients die who never did this analysis or passed it extremely rarely. To date, cancer of this organ in women is the most common after oncology of the mammary glands.

The role of HPV in the development of oncological pathologies of the cervix has been scientifically proven. Especially dangerous are its highly-congenital types, the most common and formidable of which are 18 and 16.

Women who have been identified in smears with PCR should undergo a cytologic examination twice a year. At them the probability of development of a cancer in 400 times above, than at the others.

It is also believed that the occurrence of cervical cancer contributes to genital herpes. More dangerous is HSV type 2. Particularly undesirable is its combination with HPV of stimulation. Smoking is also a provoking factor for the development of cervical cancer.

It should be borne in mind that condoms, although they reduce the likelihood of infection with HPV and HSV, but do not exclude it. The fact is that the viruses are so small that they penetrate their pores. Therefore, it is desirable to have one permanent partner and be examined regularly by a gynecologist. It should be borne in mind that HPV can begin to manifest itself after many years.

So, atypical cells in the cervical smear are an alarming symptom and require additional examination. If the patient does not pass on time therapy, then the development of cancer is not ruled out. However, cytological studies conducted regularly help to identify changes in a timely manner, when the pathology is still completely curable.