What does it mean when your HPV is negative?
A negative HPV test means you do not have an HPV type that is linked to cervical cancer. Your doctor may tell you that you can wait five years for your next screening test.
What does it mean if your Pap is abnormal but HPV is negative?
If you take the Pap smear together with the HPV test and you get a negative result, you don’t need to retake the test for another 5 years. But if it turns out to have an abnormal result, then you need to retake the test earlier than the five-year interval.
Can you test negative for HPV and still have it?
Once your HPV tests come back negative, continuing with regular Pap and HPV tests mean any abnormalities that develop later can be found and treated before they become cancer. If you got a positive HPV test and your Pap test was abnormal, your doctor will probably follow up with a colposcopy.
Can you still have abnormal cells without HPV?
Most people will not have HPV (an HPV negative result). This means your risk of getting cervical cancer is very low. You do not need any further tests to check for abnormal cervical cells, even if you have had these in the past.
Why do I need a colposcopy if my Pap is normal?
Your doctor may recommend colposcopy if: You have had two abnormal Pap tests in a row that show atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) cell changes. You have ASC-US cell changes and certain risk factors, such as a high-risk type of HPV infection or a weakened immune system.
How long does it take for HPV to cause an abnormal pap?
The time to the acquisition of an incident abnormal Pap smear (19.4 months) was significantly longer in group 1 than in group 2 (9.2 months) (P = 0.0001). The times of acquisition of incident HR HPV infection were 16.6 and 11.0 months in group 1 and group 3, respectively (P = 0.006).
Can I have a normal Pap smear with HPV?
In fact, many women with HPV will never have an abnormal pap smear. That being said, routine screening with your provider is the only way to follow any changes to the cervix that could lead to cervical cancer.
Can HPV go undetected for years?
HPV can lay dormant for many years after a person contracts the virus, even if symptoms never occur. Most cases of HPV clear within 1 to 2 years as the immune system fights off and eliminates the virus from the body. After that, the virus disappears and it can’t be transmitted to other people.
Should I be worried about an abnormal pap smear?
Most abnormal Pap smear results are nothing to worry about Most women will have at least one abnormal Pap smear result in their lifetime, with an overall average of 5% of all Pap tests coming back as “abnormal.” In most cases, the abnormal result is nothing to worry about, but it’s important to follow up to make sure.
What is an HPV/Pap test?
An HPV test looks for the human papillomavirus, a virus that can cause cervical cancer. For an HPV/Pap cotest, an HPV test and a Pap test are done together. For a patient at the doctor’s office, an HPV test and a Pap test are done the same way—by collecting a sample of cervical cells with a scraper or brush.
What does a negative Pap test result mean?
A negative Pap test means that no cellular abnormalities were identified under the microscope after both computer-guided screening and re-screening by trained cytotechnologists. Early infections or resolving infections with HPV may not reveal any cellular abnormalities.
Does a negative HPV test mean I don’t have HPV?
However, just because this test is negative does not mean that a patient may not have been exposed to a low-risk strain of HPV. Note that there are over 100 types or strains of HPV and the tests cannot test for all of these.
Can abnormal Pap test results lead to cervical cancer?
So, many people who get an abnormal Pap test result actually have a very low chance of developing cervical cancer. HPV/Pap cotesting is only slightly more sensitive than HPV testing, but it is less efficient because it requires two tests. And it detects a lot of minor changes that have a very low risk of turning into cancer.