USPSTF: Screen for Cervical Cancer Every 3 Years

Cervical cancer screening should be conducted every 3 years with cervical cytology or every 5 years with high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) testing among women aged 30 to 65 years, according to an updated United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) draft statement on cervical cancer screening.

The updated statement includes the use of hrHPV testing alone as an alternative to cervical cytology for women 30 years of age and older. This differs from the 2012 statement, which recommended co-testing with hrHPV and cervical cytology.

Other recommendations remain the same and include:

• Women from 21 to 29 years of age are recommended to be screened for cervical cancer every 3 years with cervical cytology.
• Screening is not recommended for women under 21 years of age.
• Women over 65 years of age with an adequate history of prior screening and who are not at a high risk for cervical cancer are not recommended to be screened.
• Screening is not recommended for women who have had a hysterectomy with the removal of the cervix and do not have a history of high-grade precancerous lesion or cervical cancer.

The USPSTF will accept public comments on this recommendation statement until October 9, 2017.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

USPSTF. Cervical cancer: screening. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/draft-recommendation-statement/cervical-cancer-screening2. September 12, 2017.