Pap 3D1 findings
Pap 3D1: A Pap test result
Have you had a cervical cancer screening and received a Pap 3D1 result from your gynecologist? Despite the news that abnormal cells have been found in your smear test, you should remain calm, because there is a good chance that they will disappear. Furthermore, no cancer cells were found in the Pap test.
When is a Pap test done?
The Pap test is an integral part of cervical cancer screening. It allows for various cell changes to be visible under the microscope. As such, Pap findings are divided into five groups, with Pap3 being one of them.
Depending on their age, women in Germany can have a Pap test done free of charge by their gynecologist once a year or every three years. To do this, the doctor uses a brush to swab the cervix, then sends the sample to a laboratory.
What does my Pap 3D1 finding mean?
Pap 3 findings are in turn classified into different subgroups. Each number and letter in the designation has a specific meaning:
Pap 3D indicates dysplasia findings with a greater tendency towards regression. This sounds complicated, but it simply means that there are altered cells on the cervix which will probably disappear.
Pap 3D1 describes the degree of cell changes: Slight cell changes could be detected under the microscope. However, there is no cervical cancer and the altered cells could disappear. More severe cell changes would be given the category Pap 3D2.
Pap designations and their meaning
Pap test results are divided into different levels to help distinguish the degree of abnormality. In a medical context, Pap results are usually written with Roman numerals. For this reason, the table below also uses Roman numerals.
Findings | Meanings |
Pap 0 | The cell smear is insufficient to make a diagnosis. |
Pap I | All cells are normal. |
Pap II-a | The smear is normal, but there have been abnormalities in the past. |
Pap II | There are minor cell changes, but cancer is not suspected. |
Pap IIID 1 | Altered cells have been found, but the risk of cancer development is low. |
Pap IIID 2 | Altered cells have been found and there is a risk that these will develop into cancer. |
Pap III | Altered cells have been found, but these cannot be clearly assessed. However, cancer cells have not yet been found. |
Pap IV | Severely altered cells have been found. There may already be severe tissue changes that could develop into cancer. |
Pap V | Malignant cells have been found. Cancer could be present. |
Pap 3D1 – What happens next?
Since a Pap 3D1 finding is not yet a diagnosis, further examinations must be done to clarify the situation.
The gynecologist’s office will probably ask the affected women to return after six to twelve months to do an HPV test and/or repeat the Pap test.
The cervical cancer screening program specifies how to proceed after certain abnormal findings. This blog post is based on this regulation. However, it does not replace a detailed consultation with a doctor and does not exclude individual deviations!
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Pap 3D1 and HPV positive
If a woman also receives a positive HPV test in addition to her Pap3D1 result, the next course of action usually depends on her age.
In most cases, women under the age of 29 will not receive this combination of results, as women with a Pap 3D1 result will repeat the Pap smear test within six to twelve months. An HPV test is not normally scheduled.
Women aged 30 to 34: For women with a Pap3D1 result, the gynecologist will likely perform an HPV test within the next six to twelve months. If there is no HPV infection, the woman can take a deep breath and resume her normal screening routine. However, if the woman has been infected with HPV in addition to her Pap3d1 result, then she will probably receive a referral for a colposcopy, i.e. vaginal examination.
Women over the age of 35, who have both a Pap3D1 result and a positive HPV test, will likely receive a referral for a colposcopy, i.e. vaginal examination, within three months.
Pap 3D1 and HPV negative
Anyone who has received a negative HPV test in addition to a Pap 3D1 result can breathe a sigh of relief. Women aged 35 and over should repeat the Pap and HPV test after one year. Younger women can immediately resume their normal cervical cancer screening routines.
What does my Pap test result have to do with HPV
A long-term infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV) is almost always responsible for cervical cancer. So the logical conclusion is: the risk of developing cervical cancer increases with an HPV infection. The risk of developing cervical cancer is low if there is no infection with the HP virus.
Nevertheless, an HPV infection does not mean that cancer will develop. This only happens in very rare cases and only if the infection persists for years. In most cases, it heals on its own without any instances.
Treatment of Pap 3D1
As already described, the Pap3D1 result is not yet a diagnosis. The affected women must clarify the result together with their gynecologist. For this reason, a general answer cannot be given as to which treatment is appropriate for a Pap 3D1 result.
Conclusion
If you receive a Pap 3D1 result after your cervical cancer screening at the gynecologist, abnormal cells have been found under the microscope, but there is no cervical cancer! You can remain calm. The cells will likely disappear on their own. To be on the safe side, the Pap test will be repeated after 6 to 12 months or further examinations, such as an HPV test, will be done. Your doctor will discuss next steps based on your personal case.
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On request, you will receive a free smear test kit, which is accompanied by a treatment contract. Only when we have received the swab sample together with the signed examination request in the laboratory do you undertake to pay the costs of 150 euros.
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