Hello,
My daughter has just set off for 6 months travelling in Latin America. She has received a December appointment for a colposcopy after a recent smear test. The letter says:
"Your results show that you have HPV ... We looked for abnormal cervical cells in your sample, but we did not find any."
How urgent is a colposcopy in her case?
Thanks for your advice.
Hello JMer.
Thanks for getting in touch with us and welcome to the Online Community. I’m Helen, one of the cancer information nurse specialists. I am sorry to hear about your daughter’s letter, showing HPV following her smear test.
A colposcopy is often done if a smear test finds abnormal cells in your cervix caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). These cells are not cancer, but there's a risk they could eventually turn into cervical cancer if not treated.
Unfortunately, our nurses don’t have access to individual’s NHS records, so cannot say for sure how urgent it is that your daughter has this procedure.
Sometimes it is needed because it was not possible to get a clear result from the screening test, or it may be to investigate the cause of other symptoms, such as abnormal bleeding.
It would be advisable to get your daughter to call her GP practice and arrange to speak to one of the doctors. They will be able to advise whether they think she needs the colposcopy urgently, or whether it can be delayed until after she returns from travelling.
I hope this has been helpful. If you have any further questions, please get in touch by email, webchat, or phone. We would be glad to support you in any way we can.
Best wishes
Helen
Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
To speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts, phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am to 8pm) or email us.
Ref: HK / GM
