Cervical Cancer Screening Info

The Smilow Screening & Prevention Program is aligned with the American Cancer Society guideline for Cervical Cancer early detection.

 Who should be screened for Cervical Cancer?

• All women at age 21 to 29 should have a Pap test every 3 years. HPV (Human Papillomavirus) testing screening in this age group may be used as a part of follow up for an abnormal Pap test.
• Beginning at age 30 until age 65, the preferred way to screen is with a Pap test combined with an HPV test every 5 years or every 3 years with just the Pap test.
• Women who are at high risk of cervical cancer, have been diagnosed with cervical cancer, cervical pre-cancer, or HIV infection should follow the recommendations of their health care team.
• Women over 65 years of age who have had regular screening in the previous 10 years should stop cervical cancer screening as long as they haven’t had any serious pre-cancers (like CIN2 or CIN3) found in the last 20 years. Women with a history of CIN2 or CIN3 should continue to have testing for at least 20 years after the abnormality was found.
• Women who have had a total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix) should stop screening with Pap tests and HPV tests, unless the hysterectomy was for treatment for cervical pre-cancer (or cancer). Women who have had a hysterectomy without removal of the cervix (called a supracervical hysterectomy) should continue cervical cancer screening according to the guidelines above.
• Women of any age should not be screened every year by any screening test unless the result has been abnormal*.

* Women who have abnormal screening results may need to have a follow up Pap test (sometimes with a HPV test) done in 6 months or a year.

Note:

• Even if you have been vaccinated against HPV, you should still follow these guidelines.
• Even if you have stopped having children, you should still follow these guidelines.