What does squamous metaplasia on a Pap smear mean?
Squamous Metaplasia. The most common protective mechanism of the endocervical epithelium of the uterine cervix is squamous metaplasia. The term metaplasia implies the transformation of one cell type into another type of cell, the latter being of a lower organizational order.
What is cervical metaplasia?
Squamous metaplasia in the cervix refers to the physiological replacement of the everted columnar epithelium on the ectocervix by a newly formed squamous epithelium from the subcolumnar reserve cells. The region of the cervix where squamous metaplasia occurs is referred to as the transformation zone.
What causes cervical metaplasia?
During puberty and at the first pregnancy the cervix increases in volume in response to hormonal changes. The endocervical epithelium everts onto the ectocervix (portio vaginalis) exposing it to the acid pH of the vagina. This provides a stimulus for metaplastic change of the columnar epithelium.
What does endocervical and/or Metaplastic cells present mean?
Endocervical cells present. This phrase means that cells from the inside of your cervical canal were sampled at the time of the pap test, which is something your doctor tries to do. Squamous metaplastic cells present. Here the pathologist noted cells that were growing or repairing themselves, which is a normal process.
Is metaplasia normal?
Metaplasia can also occur as a normal physiologic response. An example of physiologic metaplasia is the squamous metaplasia that occurs in the uterine cervix during the menstrual cycle as the squamocolumnar junction migrates across the transformation zone (Fig. 1-13).
What is the purpose of metaplasia?
Improved clinical screening for and surveillance of metaplasia might lead to better prevention or early detection of dysplasia and cancer. Metaplasia is the replacement of one differentiated cell type with another mature differentiated cell type that is not normally present in a specific tissue1.
Is cervical metaplasia normal?
This process normally occurs in unborn babies, during adolescence, and with the first pregnancy. Studies have shown that metaplasia is present in more than one-half of all women at some point in their development. This is a normal finding and does not indicate cancer.
What does metaplasia mean in medical terms?
Metaplasia is defined as the conversion of one cell type to another and can include conversions between tissue-specific stem cells.
Is cervical metaplasia precancerous?
Process of Cervical Changes The Pap test is taken from this area because this where dysplasia (pre-cancer) and cancer most often arise. Two common changes in cells are metaplasia and dysplasia. Metaplasia – Metaplasia is generally described as a process of cell growth or cell repair that is benign (not cancerous).
What does the term metaplasia mean in pathology?
Metaplasia describes a process where a group of cells change from one type of specialized cell into a different type of specialized cell. Metaplasia can occur any where in the body. The type of metaplasia is given a name that describes the type of specialized cell that remains after the change has occurred.
Can a Pap smear show atypical squamous metaplasia?
Pap smear: It may be ordered as a screening procedure. An abnormal test result warrants further testing On a Pap smear, the immature squamous metaplasia may show immature cells which appear benign Whereas, in atypical squamous metaplasia, the cells on the Pap smear appear abnormal.
Why is the Pap test taken from the transformation zone?
There is a distinct junction between the two cell types called the transformation zone. The Pap test is taken from this area because this where dysplasia (pre-cancer) and cancer most often arise. Two common changes in cells are metaplasia and dysplasia.
How is a Pap test done to check for cancer?
The Pap (Papanicolaou) Test The Pap test is a procedure that collects cells from the cervix so that they can be looked at closely in the lab to find cancer and pre-cancer. How the Pap test is done The health care professional first places a speculum inside the vagina.