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Cervical Dysplasia

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Treatment depends on the degree of dysplasia.

Mild dysplasia may go away on its own, meaning the cervical tissue returns to normal without treatment. These cases may require only close observation and repeat Pap smears every three to six months.

Moderate to severe dysplasia, or dysplasia that does not go away on its own, may require surgical removal of the abnormal tissue to prevent the risk of developing cervical cancer. Surgical procedures, many of which can be performed in an outpatient setting, include:

Cryocauterization or cryosurgery. Uses extreme cold to freeze or destroy abnormal cervical tissue.

Laser therapy. Destroys abnormal cervical tissue using a beam of light.

Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). Uses a thin wire loop that carries an electric current to remove abnormal tissue.

Surgery (cone biopsy or cervical conization). Involves removing a small cone-shaped sample of abnormal tissue from the cervix.

6 Abnormal Pap Smear Causes And What They Mean

The Pap smear, also called the Pap test, is the gold standard in cervical cancer screening. It detects precancerous cells and allow an opportunity to intervene, and it has helped to drastically reduce cervical cancer deaths since it started being used in the 1940s.

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During a Pap test, a healthcare professional will gently collect a few cells from your cervix with a tiny brush and then send them off to the lab for analysis. There, the cervical cells will be checked for any changes that may indicate cancer, or that may cause cancer later on.

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If the lab results show abnormalities in the cells, your doctor may wish to investigate further — but not always. Sometimes abnormal results are nothing to worry about. Many things can influence your Pap smear results, including where you are in your menstrual cycle or if you've recently had sex.

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Also, Pap smear abnormalities can be caused by a few other things besides cancer, like a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or a bacterial infection. If you get an abnormal Pap smear result, your doctor will explain what it indicates and what further testing or treatment you need, if any.

Here are six abnormal Pap smear causes and what they might mean.

1. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the human papillomavirus is a common virus that is transmitted through sexual activity.

[4] In fact, HPV infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI).

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A lot of the time, HPV infection can go away on its own, but in some cases, it may lead to cancer.

[5] There's a strong link between HPV and Pap smear abnormalities: Almost 70 percent of abnormal Pap smears are caused by HPV.

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There are many types of HPV. Some types of HPV can cause health problems, like genital warts, whereas other types can cause several cancers, including cervical cancer. HPV can cause cancer even if it doesn't show any symptoms.

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"Sometimes we need to understand what type of HPV is present to understand the next steps," explains Aparna Sridhar, MD, associate clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the David Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles.

HPV infection can affect anyone who's sexually active, and generally it doesn't show any signs or symptoms. This is why, if you're diagnosed with the virus, it is important to discuss it with your sexual partner.

There is no treatment for the virus in itself, but there are treatments for the problems it causes. For example, if the biopsy reveals precancerous cells in your cervix, there are several options to remove them.

[7] In the case of genital warts, your doctor will prescribe medication or a surgical ablation procedure to get rid of them. Your healthcare provider will explain your options to you, depending on your situation.

The HPV vaccine protects against genital warts and most cases of cervical cancer. It is recommended for teens and young adults between ages 15 and 26. Although less beneficial, the HPV vaccine might be recommended for some adults between ages 27 and 45 who were not already vaccinated.

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The HPV vaccine may also be given to help with treatment for moderate or severe CIN.

2. Cervical Dysplasia (CIN) Cervical dysplasia is not cancer but an abnormality in the cells which, if left untreated, can lead to cervical cancer.

[8] Cervical dysplasia is also called "cervical intraepithelial neoplasia," or CIN for short.

There are many stages of cervical dysplasia. If you have mild or low-grade dysplasia, your doctor may simply choose to monitor you for the time being with follow-up exams until any further changes occur. "Early detection is key for identifying precancerous cells in the cervix and offering treatment or more surveillance," she adds.

For more advanced stages of dysplasia, your doctor will likely recommend removing the cells.

There are several ways to do so, including:

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Cryotherapy — a procedure that kills off the abnormal cells by freezing them

Minimally invasive surgery, which can involve cauterizing the cells with electricity or laser therapy

3. Cervical Cancer According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cervical cancer is "cancer that starts in the cells of the cervix," the lower end of the uterus.

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Cervical cancer doesn't tend to cause any symptoms until it gets to more advanced stages, which is why screening is so important. And according to the World Health Organization (WHO), you should see your doctor if you experience any of the following:

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Unusual bleeding (which includes bleeding between periods, after menopause, or after you've had sex)

Unusual vaginal discharge or vaginal discomfort

Pain that won't go away in the back, legs, or pelvic area

Weight loss, fatigue, or loss of appetite

Swelling in the legs

Cervical cancer is a slow-growing cancer. It can take years, or sometimes even decades to develop. This is why, as long as you have routine exams, your healthcare professional will be able to detect abnormal or precancerous cells early enough to remove them before they develop into cancer.

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If you do get diagnosed with cervical cancer, remember that there are many treatment options available, ranging from minimally invasive surgery and immunotherapy (like for cervical dysplasia), to radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

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4. Trichomoniasis and Other STIs Pap smear abnormalities can also be caused by trichomoniasis, an STI caused by the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis. In women, trichomoniasis causes symptoms such as:

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Pain during sex

Vaginal discharge with a foul smell

Symptoms of a urinary tract infection, like pain or a burning sensation when you pee

Vaginal itching

Pelvic pain

If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, your doctor will likely take a sample of your vaginal fluid and examine it under a microscope. This is called a "wet prep microscopy."

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If you have trichomoniasis, you will need to take an antibiotic. This STI affects people of all genders, but it usually doesn't cause any symptoms in men. So, be sure to discuss your results with your sexual partner, as they will need treatment as well.

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5. Vaginal Infection An abnormal Pap test result can also indicate that you have a vaginal infection. But a vaginal infection doesn't necessarily mean an STI. For example, you may have an infection from bacteria (like in the case of bacterial vaginosis) or a fungus (like Candidiasis).

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Vaginal itching

Foul-smelling discharge

Pelvic pain

Bleeding between periods

Your doctor will recommend a form of treatment depending on the type of infection that you have. For example, if your infection is bacterial, you will have to take an antibiotic, but if it's fungal, an antifungal treatment is most likely.

Your doctor may also perform a follow-up screening test to rule out any additional problems.

6. Harmless Abnormal Pap Smear Causes There are many harmless reasons that a Pap smear can come back abnormal. If you have recently had sexual intercourse, this can affect the cells of the cervix. Having recently menstruated or being close to the start of your period can also cause cervix changes. Using tampons can affect the results, too.

[3] It is best to avoid these things before a Pap smear.

Most often, Dr. Sridhar says, "false results are due to lab errors." In fact, one study estimates that about 15 percent of all abnormal Pap test results are false positives.

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According to the American Cancer Society, there are a few things you can do to make sure your Pap smear test is as accurate as possible:

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Schedule your test at least five days after your menstruation has stopped.

Avoid using tampons, spermicide gels, lubricants, or other vaginal creams or moisturizers for up to seven days before your test.

Avoid vaginal sex in the 48 hours leading up to your test.

The Takeaway

Pap smears are crucial for detecting cervical cancer, but they also detect abnormal cells before they've even started to become cancerous. Regular screening can help you get rid of these cells and carry on living a healthy life. Pap smears can also pick up signs of STIs and other infections that may need treatment.

New Computational Model Achieves 98% Accuracy In Detecting Cervical Dysplasia

A groundbreaking computational model developed by scientists from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST) promises to significantly improve the diagnosis of cervical dysplasia, a precursor to cervical cancer. This innovative model combines advanced machine learning (ML) techniques with precise pattern identification to enhance early detection of abnormal cell growth on the cervix.

Led by Dr. Lipi B. Mahanta, the team at IASST focused on creating a model that excels in real-world applications, offering high accuracy while minimizing computation time. The researchers experimented with various color models, transform techniques, feature representation schemes, and classification methods to devise a highly effective ML framework for detecting cervical dysplasia.

The model's robustness was validated through testing on two datasets: one from healthcare centers in India and another publicly available dataset. Utilizing the Non-subsampled Contourlet Transform (NSCT) and the YCbCr color model, the new system achieved an impressive average accuracy of 98.02%.

This advanced model represents a significant advancement in medical imaging and diagnostics, holding potential for widespread use in early cervical cancer detection and improved patient outcomes.

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