Cervical Cancer

[Chris]

I talked to a doctor today who did my pap smear test and I've been told the test showed abnormal cells....CIN 2 lesion is the label that he gave me...he tells me there is nothing to panic about, but I'm in the dark here...I don't know anyone who has been here before? Anyone who can tell me about what this means in reality?

[UroDoc]

CIN stands for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. This means changes were found in the cell from your cervix which puts you at higher risk for developing cervical cancer than a person with no changes. I stress the word risk, it does not mean you will get cervical cancer. Please see more information at http://www.oncologychannel.com/cervicalcancer/index.shtml . For anyone else reading this I would recommend getting the vaccine that is now available and should greatly reduce the chances if not completely of getting cervical cancer. Good luck.

[ExpatinAsia]

I'm a US citizen currently living in Bangkok as an expat and had a Pap Smear done 3 days ago at the leading hospital in town called Bumrungrad. The doctor speaks English, but not fluently. She told me that my Pap Smear showed "10% of my cells were changing" and that she had to do some "DNA" testing to see if that percentage change was normal for me or if I'm at risk for pre-cervical cancer. I wasn't given any technical terms like CIN 2, etc. I need to call back for the results of my "DNA" test in 4 days.

I will be going back to the US in November and plan to get another opinion with a US doctor.

But in the meantime, could you please put her feedback in context for me? What is DNA testing? Does her procedure seem appropriate to you?

Also, I read on your site that cervical cancer may be caused by HPV. Should I avoid having sex with my husband? Can I spread the virus? I have 2 young children.

Thank you.