Abnormal Pap Smear
Cervical cancer is a common, sometimes fatal disease. Sexually active teenagers and women 20 to 65 years old are advised to have periodic Pap smears, where a small amount of tissue is swabbed from the cervix and examined for evidence of precancerous or cancerous changes. If an abnormality is detected early, the doctor can prescribe effective treatment before the problem becomes more serious. Cervical dysplasia is a term used to describe abnormal cervical cells. Cervical dysplasia is usually graded according to its severity, which can range from mild inflammation to precancerous changes to localized cancer. It is now known that human papilloma virus (HPV), also the cause of genital warts, is the major cause of cervical dysplasia.
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