Cervical Cytology Results - An ECCA Guide

If any abnormal cells are found on your cervical smear, they will be graded according to the severity of the abnormalities (called dyskaryosis) that are seen. In England, 6 main cervical smear results are possible:

  1. Normal
  2. Inadequate
  3. Borderline changes
  4. Mild dyskaryosis
  5. Moderate dyskaryosis
  6. Severe dyskaryosis
Normal

A normal result means that no abnormal cervical cells have been found on your cervical smear. You will be invited for your next cervical smear in 3 or 5 years, depending on your age.

Inadequate

An inadequate result means that the cervical smear could not be properly screened. You will be invited to have another cervical smear in 3 months.

Borderline

Borderline changes mean that very mild abnormal cervical cells have been found on your cervical smear. For most women, borderline changes will disappear on their own and treatment will not be needed. However, for some women, the abnormal cells will not go away or they will get worse and treatment may then be needed.

If you have a borderline result, your doctor will ask you to return for a repeat cervical smear in 6 months to see if the abnormal cells have disappeared or not. If your repeat cervical smear is normal, you will be asked to have two more cervical smears in 6 and 12 months time. If these are also normal, you can then return to routine screening every 3 or every 5 years, depending on your age. If any of these repeat cervical smears are borderline or worse, you may be referred for a colposcopy.

Mild dyskaryosis

Mild dyskaryosis means that mildly abnormal cervical cells have been found on your cervical smear.
As for borderline changes, mild dyskaryosis will usually disappear on its own and treatment will not be needed. However, for some women, the abnormal cells will not go away or they will get worse and treatment may then be needed.

If you have mild dyskaryosis, there are 2 possible follow-up procedures:

  1. Repeat cervical smear in 6 months

    A repeat cervical smear in 6 months is done to see if the abnormal cells have disappeared, stayed the same or become worse. If your repeat cervical smear is normal, you will be asked to have two more cervical smears in 6 and 12 months time. If these are also normal, you can then return to routine screening. If any of these repeat cervical smears are again mild dyskaryosis or worse, you will be referred for a colposcopy.

  2. Colposcopy

    Your doctor may recommend that you go directly to colposcopy. If anything abnormal is seen at colposcopy, your doctor will take a small sample of the abnormal area (a biopsy). These will be sent to the laboratory where they will be examined under a microscope to help decide if treatment is needed or not.
Moderate or severe dyskaryosis

Moderate or severe dyskaryosis means that some abnormal cervical cells have been found which indicate that higher-grade disease may be present.

If you have moderate or severe dyskaryosis, it is still unlikely that you have cancer, However, abnormal cervical cells graded as moderate or severe are less likely to disappear on their own and usually need to be treated. Because of this, all women with either of these results will be referred to colposcopy for a closer examination of their cervix. If anything abnormal is seen, your doctor will take some small samples of the abnormal area (a biopsy). These will be sent to the laboratory where they will be examined under a microscope to help decide if treatment is needed or not.