Tests for Cervical Cancer

Finding cervical cancer often starts with an abnormal HPV (human papillomavirus) or Pap test result. This will lead to further tests which can diagnose cervical cancer or pre-cancer. The Pap test and HPV test are screening tests, not diagnostic tests. They cannot tell for certain if you have cervical cancer. An abnormal Pap test or HPV test result may mean more testing is needed to see if a cancer or a pre-cancer is present.

Cervical cancer may also be suspected if you have symptoms like abnormal vaginal bleeding or pain during sex. Your primary doctor or gynecologist often can do the tests needed to diagnose precancers and cancers. If you are diagnosed with invasive cancer, your doctor will probably refer you to a gynecologic oncologist, a doctor who specializes in cancers of women's reproductive systems.

Understanding abnormal cervical screening test results

Your current screening test results along with your past test results determine your risk of developing cervical cancer. Your doctor will use them to figure out your next test or treatment.

Because there are many different follow-up or treatment options depending on your specific risk of developing cervical cancer, it is best to talk to your health care provider about your screening results in more detail, to fully understand your cervical cancer risk and the best follow-up plan for you.

Tests for people with symptoms of cervical cancer or abnormal cervical screening test results

Medical history and physical exam

First, the doctor will ask you about your personal and family medical history. This includes information related to risk factors and symptoms of cervical cancer. A complete physical exam will help evaluate your general state of health. You will have a pelvic exam and maybe a Pap test if one has not already been done. In addition, your lymph nodes will be felt to see if the cancer has spread (metastasized).

Colposcopy

If you have certain symptoms that could mean cancer, if your Pap test result shows abnormal cells, or if your HPV test is positive, you will most likely need to have a procedure called a colposcopy. You will lie on the exam table as you do with a pelvic exam. The doctor will put a speculum in the vagina to help keep it open while examining the cervix with a colposcope. The colposcope is an instrument that stays outside the body and has magnifying lenses. It lets the doctor clearly see the surface of the cervix up close. Colposcopy itself is usually no more uncomfortable than any other speculum exam. It can be done safely even if you are pregnant. Like the Pap test, it is better not to do it during your menstrual period.

The doctor will put a weak solution of acetic acid (like vinegar) on your cervix to make any abnormal areas easier to see. If an abnormal area is seen, a small piece of tissue will be removed (biopsy) and sent to a lab to be looked at carefully. A biopsy is the best way to tell for certain if an abnormal area is a precancer, an invasive cancer, or neither.

Types of cervical biopsies

Several types of biopsies can be used to diagnose cervical precancers and cancers. If the biopsy can completely remove all the abnormal tissue, it might be the only treatment needed.

Colposcopic biopsy

For this type of biopsy, the cervix is examined first with a colposcope to find the abnormal areas. Using a biopsy forceps, a small (about 1/8-inch) section of the abnormal area on the surface of the cervix is removed. The biopsy procedure may cause mild cramping, brief pain, and some slight bleeding afterward.

Endocervical curettage (endocervical scraping)

If colposcopy does not show any abnormal areas or if the transformation zone (the area at risk for HPV infection and precancer) cannot be seen with the colposcope, another method must be used to check that area for cancer.

A narrow instrument (either a curette or a brush) is inserted into the endocervical canal (the part of the cervix closest to the uterus). The curette or brush scrapes the inside of the canal to remove some of the tissue, which is then checked in the lab. During or after this procedure, patients may feel a cramping pain, and they may also have some light bleeding.

Cone biopsy

In this procedure, also known as conization, the doctor removes a cone-shaped piece of tissue from the cervix. The base of the cone is formed by the exocervix (outer part of the cervix), and the point or apex of the cone comes from the endocervical canal. The tissue removed in the cone includes the transformation zone (the border between the exocervix and endocervix, where cervical precancers and cancers are most likely to start). A cone biopsy can also be used as a treatment to remove many precancers and some very early cancers completely.

Common  methods  used for cone biopsies:

• Loop electrosurgical procedure  (LEEP, LLETZ): In this method, the tissue is removed with a thin wire loop that is heated by electricity and acts as a small knife. A local anesthetic is used for this procedure, and it can be done in your doctor's office.
• Cold knife cone biopsy: This is done in a hospital. A surgical scalpel or a laser is used to remove the tissue instead of a heated wire. You will receive anesthesia during the operation.  Anesthesia will be either general anesthesia (where you are asleep) or spinal or epidural anesthesia (where an injection into the area around the spinal cord numbs you below the waist).

Possible complications of cone biopsies include bleeding, infection and narrowing of the cervix.

Having had a cone biopsy will not prevent most women from getting pregnant, but if a large amount of tissue has been removed, women may have a higher risk of giving birth prematurely.

Other tests when cervical cancer is diagnosed

If a biopsy shows that cancer cells are present, your doctor may order certain tests to see if and how far the cancer has spread. Many of the tests described below are not necessary for every patient. Decisions about using these tests are based on the results of the physical exam and biopsy.

Cystoscopy, proctoscopy, and examination under anesthesia

These procedures are most often done when the tumors are large. They are not necessary if the cancer is caught early.

In a cystoscopy, a slender tube with a lens and a light is placed into the bladder through the urethra. This lets the doctor check your bladder and urethra to see if cancer is growing into these areas. Biopsy samples can be removed during cystoscopy for testing in the lab. Cystoscopy can be done with a local anesthetic, but some patients may need general anesthesia. Your doctor will tell you what to expect before and after the procedure.

Proctoscopy is a visual inspection of the rectum through a lighted tube to look for spread of cervical cancer into your rectum.

Your doctor may also do a pelvic exam while you are under anesthesia to find out if the cancer has spread beyond the cervix.

Imaging studies

If your doctor finds that you have cervical cancer, certain imaging studies may be done. These tests can show if and where the cancer has spread, which will help you and your doctor decide on a treatment plan.

• Chest x-ray: To see if cancer has spread to your lungs.
• Computed tomography (CT) scans: Are usually done if the tumor is larger or if there is concern about cancer spread. For more information, see CT Scan for Cancer.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Look at the soft tissue parts of the body sometimes better than other imaging tests, like a CT scan. Your doctor will decide which imaging test is best in your situation. For more information, see MRI for Cancer.

• Positron emission tomography/ computed tomography (PET/CT) scan: A slightly radioactive form of sugar (known as FDG) is injected into the blood and collects mainly in cancer cells. Often a PET scan is combined with a CT scan using a special machine that can do both at the same time. This lets the doctor compare areas of higher radioactivity on the PET scan with a more detailed picture on the CT scan. This is the type of PET scan most often used in patients with cervical cancer. This test can help see if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes. PET scans can also be useful if your doctor thinks the cancer has spread but doesn’t know where.