Pap Smears May No Longer Be Part of Your Gyno Visit

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is looking to update its recommendations for screening for cervical cancer.

The task force has introduced a recommendation that women over the age of 30 test for high-risk human papilloma viruses (HPV) every five years rather than relying on pap smears to detect cervical cancer. HPV testing is believed to be more effective, according to the recommendation.

Currently, the pap smear — in which cells taken from the cervix are examined by a doctor “for cervical cancer or cell changes,” per the National Cancer Institute — is the recommended method of detecting cervical cancer, and HPV testing is considered the “secondary prevention” method.

However, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force noted that HPV testing is more effective for women between the ages of 30 and 65. (Women in their 20s should continue to receive pap smears every three years.)

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Several studies published in the National Health Institute have illustrated this, including one 2021 study showing that over 99% of cervical cancer cases are caused by “persistent genital high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.”

“We are highlighting that HPV screening, as the primary screening for women ages 30 to 65, is the best balance between the benefits and the harms in finding cervical cancer, and that should be offered first and when available,” said task force member Dr. Esa Davis, per CNN.

The new draft also suggested that women be provided an option to collect their own samples for HPV testing, which “may be more appealing to those who otherwise would not come in for screening,” Davis said, per the outlet.

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If HPV testing is not available, then a pap smear or screening could also be done. A co-test of the two options could be another option, according to Davis. She said that while HPV testing may be preferred, the other options “are effective” and can “still be a choice for clinicians and for patients.”

The American Cancer Society currently recommends HPV testing as “part of cervical cancer screening.” It notes on its website that HPV testing “detects high-risk types of HPV that are more likely to cause pre-cancers and cancers of the cervix,” whereas the pap smear “cannot detect HPV.”

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“We look forward to reviewing these important guideline recommendations for cervical cancer screening and providing feedback to the USPSTF,” Dr. Robert Smith, with the American Cancer Society, told CNN in a statement. “Screening guidelines are critically important to women as cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable types of cancer, and it is essential that women get screened regularly.”

The task force’s new draft will be open for public comment through January 13, according to CNN.

According to the World Health Organization, "cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women." An estimated 660,000 women were diagnosed with the cancer worldwide in 2022, and 350,000 women died from it that same year.

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