There is also a test for HPV that, if you are 21-29, will be performed if your pap test comes back ASCUS, which means atypical sells of undertemined significance. The HPV result will help your doctor determine if the ASCUS is related to cervical disease or has some other origin. If you are 30 to 65 years old, your doctor should be doing an HPV test ALONG WITH THE PAP TEST! Some doctors do this routinely but ASK your doctor before your exam and if they say they do not do the test because you don't need it, INSIST that they give it to you! It is the only way to determine 1) if you have the virus that could cause cervical disease 2) if you do have the virus, your immune system is working to supress it. In most cases, even if you test positibe for HPV the first time you are tested, you will not get cervical disease. Your immine system will kick in and supress it. When you come back next year, the doctor will do a pap and another HPV test to see if your immune system did it's job. If it didn't, the doctor will do a colposcopy, or a visual insoection of the cervix and take some biopsies to make sure that nothing is abnormal. This happens in approximately 4% of patients. At that point, the doctor will determine if any additional treatments are necessary. The good news about getting an HPV test is that in most cases,you can detect cervical disease before it turns to cancer and treat it with much less invasive procedures.
Don't ask your doctor if they will give you and HPV test...INSIST they give it to you!!!!!
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There is also a test for HPV that, if you are 21-29, will be performed if your pap test comes back ASCUS, which means atypical sells of undertemined significance. The HPV result will help your doctor determine if the ASCUS is related to cervical disease or has some other origin. If you are 30 to 65 years old, your doctor should be doing an HPV test ALONG WITH THE PAP TEST! Some doctors do this routinely but ASK your doctor before your exam and if they say they do not do the test because you don't need it, INSIST that they give it to you! It is the only way to determine 1) if you have the virus that could cause cervical disease 2) if you do have the virus, your immune system is working to supress it. In most cases, even if you test positibe for HPV the first time you are tested, you will not get cervical disease. Your immine system will kick in and supress it. When you come back next year, the doctor will do a pap and another HPV test to see if your immune system did it's job. If it didn't, the doctor will do a colposcopy, or a visual insoection of the cervix and take some biopsies to make sure that nothing is abnormal. This happens in approximately 4% of patients. At that point, the doctor will determine if any additional treatments are necessary. The good news about getting an HPV test is that in most cases,you can detect cervical disease before it turns to cancer and treat it with much less invasive procedures.
July 29, 2010 - 6:39amDon't ask your doctor if they will give you and HPV test...INSIST they give it to you!!!!!
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