Please can someone help me make sense of my my smear results

[Georgiethegiraffe]

I have just had my results which says -
'This showed that there was evidence of HPV infection (high risk HPV Positive). This was screened further for abnormal cells and was reported as borderline changes - squamous'

Does anyone have any experience in this or can help me make sense of the results. How concerned do I need to be? Googling squamous just brings up searches about cancer.

Is there a number you can ring on the letter? I got similar results (although I don’t remember it saying squamous) and I rang them and had it explained to me. I had to go back again for another smear test in 3 months, the second one came back all clear.

I would ring them to ask and then they can discuss next steps. You might have to have a colposcopy where they look a bit closer at your cervix (a pretty simple procedure I’ve heard).

What does the letter say in terms of next steps? That you will be offered another screening in one year instead of three?

Smear tests now test for strains of HPV (the virus that causes the vast majority of cervical cancers). If you test positive then they will also test the sample for abnormal cells. Cell changes caused by HPV usually takes years to become cancerous.

Your results say that you have a borderline result - this is the lowest level of cell changes and they do often resolve on their own.

How old are you? Do you smoke? Do you have any immune issues? When was your last smear test and what was the result from that?

It's not too bad so don't fret OP! You'll prob be called for colposcopy. You may receive treatment on the spot or they may decide to monitor. That's it. Nothing scary.

Definitely ring the number on the letter or your local women's health department just to clear up what it means; they should have detailed it more, really.

BUT, don't you worry, we have squamous cells everywhere in our body, and from what you've written it sounds like there's just been a small change to the squamous cells in your cervix. I'm surprised they didn't mention exactly what those changes were; they usually tell you what grade of change it is (any precancerous grade is completely treatable by the way, I've recently had grade 3 removed without issue).

If they do go forward with colposcopy it's easy peasy, doesn't hurt and is nothing to fret about. X

Thank you all for the responses. They've helped to put me at ease. I tried ringing the number on the letter 3 times but they haven't answered.

In terms of next steps, I have an appointment in a few weeks for a colposcopy and biopsy.

@Bubbleses My last smear was a year ago and that came back as HPV Positive but didnt say anything about changes, was sent for a colposcopy then but results came back inconclusive (not enough cells in sample but no abnormal cells in what they did have,) and told to go back in a year (this one). I'm not suprised that something has shown up it was the borderline changes -squamous that I didn't understand. I'm in my early 30's, haven't smoked in 6 years and no immune diseases.

Thats good if you have a colposcopy scheduled and that you’ve had one before so know what to expect! Borderline changes in a smear are the lowest grade of changes (sometimes also called ASCUS) and do often go away on their own but it’s good they will take a closer look again to check.
I have had abnormal cells on and off for years. After my last LLETZ (after having CIN 2/3), my six month follow up showed “borderline” changes still but when I had the colposcopy they didn’t actually see any abnormal cells. Another six months later I was HPV negative.