Abnormal cervical cells are cells in the lining of the cervix that have changed in appearance. These changes are often called cervical dysplasia (pronounced: sur-vi-keldis-play-zee-a) and are detected through Pap tests. The more severe the cervical abnormality, the more likely it is that cervical cancer could develop in the future. Most often this can take a number of years, but in rare cases it can happen within a year.
