A Second ASCUS Pap test may be cause for concern.
ASCUS is the mildest type of abnormality on a Pap test. It stands for Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance and may be caused by inflammation or infection of the cervix, using spermicide, having sex, douching before the test or even by menstrual blood.
Time Frame
Between 80 to 90 percent of ASCUS Pap smears resolve spontaneously, so if the first test shows ASCUS, doctors typically have you come back for another Pap test within four to six months.
Conservative Approach to ASCUS
If the second Pap test also comes back positive for ASCUS, some doctors prescribe a round of antibiotics, in case the abnormal results are caused by a cervical infection. You will be asked to come back in for a third Pap test when you have finished your course of antibiotics.
More Aggressive Approach to ASCUS
Alternatively, after the second ASCUS Pap test, the doctor may elect to do a coloposcopy or a close examination of the cervix. He or she may also biopsy the cervix at this time to check for pre-cancerous or cancerous changes.
Misconceptions
Many women worry that an ASCUS test means they have cervical cancer. In truth, it generally takes years for ASCUS to grow to even pre-cancerous stages, let alone full-blown cervical cancer. That is why so many doctors prefer a wait-and-see approach.
Tags: ASCUS test, Approach ASCUS, cervical cancer, come back
