Final Recommendation Statement:

Screening for Cervical Cancer

Final Recommendation Statement: Screening for Cervical Cancer

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released today a final recommendation statement on screening for cervical cancer. The Task Force found that women aged 21 to 65 years benefit from screening. The Task Force recommends the Pap test for women aged 21 to 29 years and three strategies to screen women aged 30 to 65 years: Pap test, HPV test, or both in combination (cotesting). The Task Force recommends against screening in women younger than 21 years and in women older than 65 years who have had adequate prior screening. The Task Force also recommends against screening at any age in women who do not have a cervix.To view the recommendation and the evidence on which it is based, please go here. The final recommendation statement can also be found in the August 21 online issue of JAMA.

The Final Recommendation Statement Is Available

FINAL RECOMMENDATION SUMMARY

See the full statement

Population

Recommendation

Grade

Women aged 21 to 65 years

The USPSTF recommends screening for cervical cancer every 3 years with cervical cytology alone in women aged 21 to 29 years. For women aged 30 to 65 years, the USPSTF recommends screening every 3 years with cervical cytology alone, every 5 years with high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) testing alone, or every 5 years with hrHPV testing in combination with cytology (cotesting).

Women older than 65 years

The USPSTF recommends against screening for cervical cancer in women older than 65 years who have had adequate prior screening and are not otherwise at high risk for cervical cancer.

Women younger than 21 years

The USPSTF recommends against screening for cervical cancer in women younger than 21 years.

Women who have had a hysterectomy

The USPSTF recommends against screening for cervical cancer in women who have had a hysterectomy with removal of the cervix and do not have a history of a high-grade precancerous lesion (ie, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia [CIN] grade 2 or 3) or cervical cancer.

WHY THIS MATTERS

"Screening for cervical cancer saves lives and identifies the condition early when it is treatable,” says Task Force member Carol Mangione, M.D., M.S.P.H. “There are several effective screening strategies available, so women should talk to their doctor about which one is right for them.”