What should women know about cervical cancer screening?

Cervical cancer screenings are an important component of preventive health care for women. Such screenings are often conducted at the same time as other routine checks performed by a woman's primary care physician or gynecologist.

Cervical cancer screenings are twofold. A doctor or nurse will examine the cervix to visually look for any indications of change, and he or she also will take a sampling of cervical cells to conduct a Pap test. These screenings are some of the most effective cancer screening tests available. Some women also get tested for the human papillomavirus, or HPV, a common sexually transmitted disease, during the same visit. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state cervical cancer is the easiest gynecologic cancer to prevent, noting that screening is highly effective at detecting the presence of cervical cancer, even if it is in its early stages.

While cervical examinations are recommended every year, in 2012 the American Cancer Society changed the rate of frequency for Pap tests. That's because cervical cancer is a slow-developing cancer (sometimes taking 10 to 20 years to appear), and frequent testing is not always necessary.

Today, women should get their first Pap tests at age 21. Patients who have never had a positive cervical cancer result and are between ages 21 and 29 should get a Pap test every three years. An HPV test is not necessary unless there is an abnormal Pap test result. Women between the ages of 30 and 65 should receive both a Pap and HPV test every five years. Women also can receive a Pap test every three years.

According to The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, women who have had their uteruses and cervixes removed in hysterectomy procedures who have no history of cervical cancer do not require screening. Also, after a woman reaches age 65 and has had no abnormal results, she no longer needs to be screened for cervical cancer.

Women who are at a high risk for cervical cancer may need to be screened more often. Such women include individuals who have HIV, have undergone organ transplants or have had abnormal results from past screenings.