Cervical cancer screening is a crucial component of women’s health. However, since guidelines have changed in recent years, you’re not alone if you’re confused about when you should undergo a Pap smear and HPV testing.
Our team at Chesapeake Wellness Center in Cecilton and Elkton, Maryland, can help take the guesswork out of health screening exams, including Pap smears and HPV testing.
We focus on creating personalized screening schedules that follow national guidelines while staying in touch with your current needs. We’re happy to outline our recommendations for cervical cancer screening during Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.
These tests are often performed together and require collecting a sampling of cells from the cervix, but they serve different purposes.
A Pap smear detects abnormal changes in the cells of your cervix that could lead to or indicate cervical cancer.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing checks for the presence of high-risk HPV strains, the viruses that can cause cervical cancer.
An HPV/Pap co-test includes both an HPV test and a Pap smear. Your doctor may recommend one or both, depending on your age, test availability, health history, and previous test results.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) updated its cervical cancer screening guidelines in 2020 to include preferences for HPV screening over the traditional Pap smear until a certain age.
Because the HPV test is more sensitive than a Pap smear, it’s hoped that this change helps detect the potential for cancer even earlier. These recommendations include anyone with a cervix at average risk of cancer.
ACS 2020 guidelines:
The new guidelines recommend no screening unless you’re at increased cancer risk.
The ACS prefers women in this age group undergo HPV testing every five years. However, an HPV/Pap co-test every five years is acceptable. Without HPV testing, the ACS recommends a Pap test every three years.
ACS guidelines recommend women in this age group continue with an HPV test every five years (preferred), an HPV/Pap co-test every five years (acceptable), or a Pap test every three years (acceptable).
Cervical cancer screening may be discontinued at this point if you’ve had regular screenings in the past 10 years with no abnormal results and no history of cervical precancer.
Your Chesapeake Wellness Center provider considers several factors before creating a timeline for cervical cancer screenings.
Factors that may influence the schedule include:
If your cervix has been removed during a hysterectomy for noncancerous reasons, you may not need further Pap or HPV tests.
If you’ve had a hysterectomy due to cervical cancer or precancer, regular screenings might still be necessary.
Certain factors might require more frequent testing, such as:
Note that while the HPV vaccine protects against the most common cancer-causing strains, you still need routine cervical cancer screenings following the vaccination.
Don’t skip your recommended screenings since cervical cancer is often preventable and, if caught early, has a high survival rate.
Schedule a visit at Chesapeake Wellness Center today for all your primary health care needs, including routine screenings tailored to your needs. Call the office or request an appointment online.
