Abnormal pap

Early this month my mother had her yearly pap and the results came back abnormal. Last week she went in for her second pap and the results also came back abnormal. She told me her doctor had told her the pap showed squamous cell carcinoma. Correct me if I am wrong but I thought all the pap showed was abnormalities and that a biopsy would need to be done to find out exactly what it is. I spoke with her doctor and was told that they would have to send her to a specialist to have a biopsy done and for whatever treatment she would need. Does a pap show you have cancer or just that there is an abnormal change in the cells?

Hi,

I doubt that the "second" pap was a regular pap but, more likely it was a colposcopy, or a "colpo", a colpo can be described as an more thorough pap but, reality is that it is a biopsy.

Abnormalities from the pap can be from numberous things, many of which would not be precancerous lesions, dysplasia or squamous cell carcinoma.

Firsly, I am sorry that your mother has squamous cell carcinoma. I am also surprised that her first abnormal annual pap is this progressed!

Does she have a treatment plan/regimine? Is she seeking a second opinion? It seems to me that she may not necessarily be able to focus on what is really going on, merely because of the overwhelming news and because she thought she went for a "follow-up" pap when it appears at glance to have been the colposcopy.

Wishes and prayers that it can be easily ablated or removed.

Gen

p.s. wait a second? you spoke with her doctor and he said the return visit was for a mere repeat pap and not a colpo?

I am sorry for the trouble your mother is going through. However, we cannot offer medical advice or information on allnurses.com. Please, get this information from your mom's health care provider, and if you feel the need, a second opinion also. Keep asking questions until you have all the answers you seek and are clear about her course of care and treatment. You both deserve no less.

Good luck and I hope all goes well for Mom. Thanks for your understanding.