On October 22, 2012 the American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released a new recommendation for
cervical cancer screening. In the U. S. over the last 30 years, Pap smear testing
has significantly lowered rates of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is caused
by high risk strains of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). However, most of the
HPV strains are transient and do not progress to cervical cancer. The immune
system will typically clear these transient strains of HPV in about eight
months.
The recommendation states women
younger than 21 years should not be screened for cervical cancer regardless of
the sexual experience history. Women between the ages of 21-29 years old should
be screened once every 3 years if the result of the Pap smear is negative. Women between the ages of 30-65 should be
screened using co-testing (Pap smear combined with HPV testing) every five years, if both tests are negative. Cervical
cancer screening should be discontinued for women older than 65 years if they
have no history of cervical cancer or if the Pap results were negative the past 3
consecutive times. Women who have had a hysterectomy with removal of the
cervix, with no history of gynecological cancer, should no longer be screened. Any woman with a history of dysplasia will follow different guidelines
until resolved, then they will return to routine testing
recommendations. It
is important to keep in mind that women with a history of cervical cancer, who
are HIV positive, immunocompromised, or were exposed to DES should not follow
routine cervical cancer screening guidelines; they must follow more frequent
screening.
Here is the video link to explain the new recommendations: http://youtu.be/tzk-wKXiCQU
Reference
The American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists [ACOG]. (2012). Ob-gyns recommend women wait 3 to 5 years between pap tests. Retrieved
from http://www.acog.org/About_ACOG/News_Room/News_Releases/2012/Ob-Gyns_Recommend_Women_Wait_3_to_5_Years_Between_Pap_Tests
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