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8 December 2006
Abnormal Pap Smear? Don't Panic 
Pap smears play a major role in the early detection of infection, pre-cancers and cancers, and sometimes the test returns a positive result. While this can understandably be a frightening time for women, University of Queensland (UQ) researchers say that women shouldn't immediately fear the worst. Pap smears are now so common that over a quarter of women who are tested return an abnormal result. According to UQ's Dr. Fran Boyle, these figures demonstrate that abnormal pap smears are not as unusual as most women think. "Inevitably, with widespread screening comes a greater likelihood of detecting abnormalities," says Dr Boyle. "An abnormal result can arise for a number of reasons, many of which are not cause for alarm. For many women the immediate assumption is that it is something very serious." A great deal of the problem appears to stem from the way that the term "abnormal" is used and perceived by women, says Dr. Boyle, and that women have to realize that returning an abnormal pap smear is not necessarily calamitous. "We need to ensure that women are well-prepared for the possibility of an abnormal result because it is something that is relatively common in the community," she concluded. Source: Research Australia
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