Additional tests

If the Pap test indicates the presence of irregularly shaped (dysplastic) cells or cancerous cells, the gynaecologist will then need to conduct further tests which may include:

• Colposcopy. In this test, the doctor uses a colposcope (which has a magnifying lens) to more closely examine the cervix for abnormalities.
  
  
• Cervical biopsy. During the biopsy, a small sample of cervical tissue is removed for examination under a microscope to determine if tissue contains cancerous cells.
  
  
• Endocervical curettage (endocervical scraping). Cells from inner opening of the cervix is scraped using a thin instrument (curette), then sent to a laboratory for analysis.
  
  
• HPV DNA test. Because some HPV types are associated with cervical cancer, the doctor may perform this test for women with abnormal Pap test to detect the presence of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in cervical secretions. The women who test positive for these HPV types can have follow-up tests, while the lower-risk women can simply have a repeat Pap test in a few months.