Colposcopy
If a colposcopy finds abnormal cells in your cervix, treatment to remove these cells may be recommended.
There's sometimesa risk these cells could become cancerous if left untreated. Removing them means they won't be able to turn into cancer.
The aim of treatment is toremove the abnormal cells while minimising damage to healthy tissue. Usuallyan area about the size of a fingertip is removed.
This page covers:
Treatment to remove abnormal cells from your cervix can be done at the same time as a colposcopyif it'sobvious that some of the cells in your cervix are abnormal.
But sometimes treatment can't be done on the same day.
For example, you may need to wait until you get your biopsy result a few weeks later if it's not immediately clear whether you have abnormal cells in your cervix.
There are several ways abnormal cells can be removed from the cervix. Some of the main treatments are outlined below.
The most common treatment islarge loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ). It:
LLETZ is also calledloop diathermy, loop cone, loop biopsy or loop excision.
A cone biopsy isdone less often than LLETZ. It:
Abnormal cells in the cervix can also be treated with:
You can often go home to rest soon after the treatment is finished. Most women feel well enough to return to work and most normal activities the next day.
You'llusually be advised to avoid:
You'll also be advised to have another cervical screening test six months after treatment, to check for abnormal cells andthe human papilloma virus (HPV) .
If HPV isn't found, you won't need to be screened again for another three years. But if HPV or significant cell changes are found, you'll be referred for another colposcopy.
Common side effects of treatment include:
There's also a small risk of more serious complications, such as:
In most cases, the benefit of treatment will outweigh these risks. Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have any concerns or would like to know more about the potential risks of treatment.
Find out what a colposcopy is, why it's carried out, what happens and what the results mean.
Find out what happens before, during and after a colposcopy, and what the risks and side effects are.
Find out when you can expect to receive the results of a colposcopy and what the different results mean.
Find out about the main treatments that may be recommended if a colposcopy finds abnormal cells in your cervix.