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Study shows higher incidence of abnormal pap smears in women with IBD

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Posted 4/9/2008 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
An abstact in the current issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology has a recent study that shows women with IBD have a higher incidence of abnormal pap smears. Women on immunosuppressants have an even higher incidence of abnormal paps. You can read a report on this study in Reuters Health report at Medscape: Abnormal Pap Smears Are More Likely in Women with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Posted 4/10/2008 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
I'm very lucky that I've never in my life had an abnormal pap smear, not before CD and not during either.

:)
Posted 4/10/2008 2:21 AM (GMT 0)
I had an abnormal Mammogram 4 weeks ago?? Anything about this?
Posted 4/10/2008 4:29 AM (GMT 0)
Very very interesting. I had an abnormal pap and Dysplasia about 3 years ago. I had to get the cells scraped out (Coloposcopy? or something like that). YAY the fun just never ends...
Posted 4/10/2008 6:40 AM (GMT 0)
Interesting, Ides, thanks for posting that! I wonder...is it more common in women with IBD simply because these women tend to be followed up more carefully with their healthcare in general than women without IBD? Just a thought...

It's not unheard of to have "abnormal" Pap smears and/or mammograms that turn out to be nothing. The "baseline" is set very low because of the widespread effects of cervical and breast cancers. Remember that an "abnormal" test result means something needs to be investigated further, but is not necessarily catastrophic in itself.
Posted 4/10/2008 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
I had abnormal paps two years in a row so I had to undergo colposcopies every three months last year to rule out cancer. Everything was fine but the docs are still baffled as to why the paps were abnormal. I suggested maybe because of the Crohns and they looked at me like it was an insane idea. But it actually makes sense to me. The constant D and the wiping after going to the bathroom a million times a day could potentially move bacteria up into the vagina. Also, our chances of getting recto-vaginal fistulas are much higher so there is a potential for baceteria to enter the vagina that way. Plus, our immune system could be comprimised and so maybe we are more susesptible to HPV strains. Just an idea. Thanks for the interesting post Ides!

Posted 4/14/2008 6:03 AM (GMT 0)
I was reading through the past posts and noticed this one. Early 07 I had an abnormal papsmear, followed by coloscopy(sp?). They determined that the cells were indeed precancerous and that I did not and had not suffered from HPV. So, in September of 07 they removed around a third of my cervix. Since then I've been alright and hopefully I won't have to worry about it reoccuring. I'm 23 years old. Does anyone know if CD gives you a higher risk to cancer in general?
Posted 4/14/2008 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for posting this Ides.  I am 27 and had never had an atypical pap smear until two years ago.  GI at the time said maybe caused by Remicade, since that was the only thing that had changed from the previous pap, but didn't really know.  Every pap since then has been atypical, but HPV tests always come back negative, so they never really do anything else.  Not on Remicade anymore, so don't think that was really the cause.  This is interesting, though.  I will mention it to my OBGYN next month, since I'm sure that pap will come back the same way.     
Posted 4/14/2008 2:18 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for posting
Very interesting Ides
LYN
Posted 4/15/2008 3:50 AM (GMT 0)
I have had abnormal paps with dysplasia for about 2 years now. Everytime I went to the gyno they did colposcopies but they came back negative so finally she did a leep and removed the cells. I go back in May to see if they came back again, my dr did say that because of the crohns it is harder for me to have them clear up on their own.
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