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Chapter 1 provides answers to the following
questions:
- What is Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and what is its role in causing
cervical cancer?
- What is meant by different "subtypes" of HPV?
- How prevalent is HPV and what are my chances of acquiring this
infection?
- How can I rid myself of an HPV infection?
- Do all women with HPV infections have abnormal Pap smears?
- What is cervical dysplasia and squamous intraepithelial lesions
(SILs)?
- What women are at risk for cervical cancer?
- What about men and HPV? Can they be treated? Can they get cancer
from their HPV infections?
- What is the most important step I can take to prevent cervical
cancer?
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Chapter 2 provides answers to the following
questions:
- What is the cervix and where is it located?
- What is the Pap test?
- How does the Pap test work to prevent cervical cancer?
- How is the Pap test performed?
- What happens to my Pap smear after obtained by my doctor?
- What is the cytology laboratory and what is its role in the
Pap test?
- Who actually diagnoses my Pap smear?
- Is the Pap test a perfect test?
- What types of errors can occur with a Pap test?
- How can these potential errors be reduced?
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Chapter 3 provides answers to the following
questions:
- What is a Pap smear report?
- Why should I learn to read my Pap smear report?
- What is meant by an "adequate" Pap smear?
- What is the significance of endocervical cells on my Pap smear?
- What does the presence of "inflammation" on my Pap smear signify?
- What words are used to diagnose abnormal Pap smears and what
do they mean?
- What does "ASCUS" mean?
- Does a diagnosis of "atypical" on my Pap smear mean I have cervical
cancer or dysplasia?
- Can an HPV infection be detected on a Pap smear?
- What do dysplasia and cervical cancer look like?
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Chapter 4 provides answers to the following
questions:
- What is the recommended treatment for an "ASCUS" Pap smear?
- What is cervical colposcopy and why is it performed?
- What are cervical cryotherapy and laser therapy?
- What is a cervical biopsy and what might I feel when it is performed?
- What are potential side effects of a cervical biopsy?
- What treatment can I anticipate for a high grade dysplasia?
- What is a cervical leep and what might I feel it is performed?
- What is a cervical cone and when is this used for treatment?
- Can treatments for dysplasia affect my fertility?
- How will I know if my treatments for dysplasia have been successful?
Can cervical dysplasia be cured?
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Chapter 5 provides answers to the following
questions:
- Why do some women continually have atypical Pap smears without
ever a concrete diagnosis of dysplasia?
- What is the role of pregnancy in generating atypical Pap smears?
- How might pregnant patients be treated for their abnormal Pap
smears?
- Why are women who take hormone contraceptives at risk for abnormal
Pap smears?
- Why are older women sometimes plagued by abnormal Pap smears?
- What are some special considerations in treating older women
with abnormal Pap smears?
- Do women who take hormone replacements have abnormal Pap smears
due to their medication?
- What happens when my Pap smear result and my cervical biopsy
result do not agree?
- How might my clinician help me deal with my continually abnormal
Pap smears?
- After years of abnormal Pap smears without a diagnosis of dysplasia,
can I stop worrying and ignore my Pap results?
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Chapter 6 provides answers to the following
questions:
- What is cervical cancer?
- How many women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year
in the United States?
- What are signs of cervical cancer?
- How does cervical cancer spread?
- What is meant by "cancer staging"?
- What are the different ways that cervical cancer can be treated?
What are they're side effects?
- What happens when a woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer
during pregnancy?
- What are some experimental treatments for cervical cancer?
- What are some suggestions for getting me through the ordeal
of cervical cancer?
- If diagnosed with cervical cancer, what are my chances of being
cured?
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Chapter 7: Women's Stories
This
chapter contains in-depth interviews of seven women with abnormal
Pap smears with diagnoses ranging from dysplasia to cervical cancer.
Each woman has a unique story to tell of her experience, receiving her diagnosis, her medical
treatment, how cancer affected her life, and her strategy for coping
with this difficult life event.
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Chapter 8 provides answers to the following
questions:
- How can my clinician help me have the best possible Pap smear?
- What information should I provide by clinician about my medical
history?
- When is the best time to schedule my Pap smear?
- What should I do if I am having my period during my appointment
for my annual Pap smear?
- How can infections lead to a less-than-optimal Pap smear?
- What infections should be treated before having a Pap smear?
- What are reactive changes and how do they influence a Pap smear?
- Why shouldn't I have my abnormal Pap smear repeated immediately?
- What is air-drying artifact and how does it affect a Pap smear?
- If diagnosed with cervical cancer, what are my chances of being
cured?
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Chapter 9 provides answers to the following
questions:
- What is a "false negative" Pap smear?
- Are there any ways the Pap test can be improved?
- What is a liquid-based Pap smear?
- What are advantages of liquid-based Pap smears?
- How can computers help give a Pap smear?
- What is the HPV test?
- How accurate is an HPV test?
- How can liquid-based Pap smears and HPV testing be used together?
- How much more will these new technologies cost?
- What is the single most important test for prevention of cervical
cancer?
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Chapter 10 provides answers to the following
questions:
- Is there anything I can do to alter my risk of cervical dysplasia
or cancer?
- What aspects of my life are important for cervical cancer
prevention?
- Can I be reinfected with HPV by my same partner after my dysplasia
has been treated?
- Are teens at risk for cervical dysplasia?
- How knowledgeable are most teens about HPV?
- Does cigarette smoking contribute to cervical cancer risk?
- Does the birth control method I choose make any difference in
cervical cancer prevention?
- Are there any nutritional means to reduce my risk of cervical
dysplasia?
- How does my immune system affect the susceptibility to cervical
cancer?
Click here for excerpts
from this chapter
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Chapter 11 provides answers to the following
questions:
- Are there any new treatments for dysplasia currently being explored?
- Are there any medications for treatment of dysplasia which can
be applied directly on the cervix?
- Is there any new way to actually see cervical dysplasia on my
cervix other than colposcopy?
- Are there any new ways to detect an HPV infection other than
a conventional Pap smear?
- How can vaccines help prevent HPV infections?
- Can vaccines prevent infection by more than one HPV type?
- Who should receive HPV vaccines?
- How can HPV vaccines help treat dysplasia and cervical cancer?
- What role might HPV vaccines play in developing countries?
- How well-informed is the general public about the need for an
HPV vaccine?
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Chapter 12 provides answers to the following
questions:
- Will treatment of my dysplasia cure my HPV infection?
- Why isn't HPV infection reported to public health officials
as are many other STDs?
- Can infection by HPV lead to infertility problems?
- Can HPV be passed to an infant during childbirth?
- Do gay men have problems with HPV infections?
- Do women without a cervix (after a hysterectomy) need Pap smears?
- Does cervical cancer run in families?
- Can HPV infect other female tissues other than the cervix?
- Does HPV need vaginal intercourse to be transmitted?
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Chapter 13: Understanding Your Abnormal
Pap Smear
 This
chapter provides a summary of important points covered in the book.
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