What are false positive and false negative results?
The Pap test is a screening test and, like any such test, it is not 100-percent accurate. Although false positive and false negative results do not occur very often, they can cause anxiety and can affect a woman’s health.
A false positive Pap test means that a patient is told she has abnormal cells, but the cells are actually normal.
A false negative Pap test occurs when a specimen is called normal, but the woman has a significant abnormality that was missed.A false negative Pap test may delay the diagnosis and treatment of a precancerous condition.
However, regular screening helps to compensate for the false negative result. If abnormal cells are missed at one time, chances are good that the cells will be detected the next time.
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