Pap test (Papanicolaou test or Pap smear)

A Pap test is a test that looks for changes in the cells of the cervix. During the test, your doctor collects a small sample of cells from the cervix, the lower part of your uterus. The cells are sent to a lab and tested to see if they contain certain changes that could turn into cervical cancer.

When your Pap test result is "abnormal," it means that the test found some cells that don't look normal. They may not be cancer, but you may need more testing to find out for sure.

Current as of: April 29, 2020

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Sarah Marshall MD - Family Medicine & Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Kevin C. Kiley MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology

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