Cervical Cancer Screening in Average-Risk Women

Publication Date: June 1, 2015
Last Updated: March 14, 2022

Best Practice Advice

Clinicians should not screen average-risk women younger than 21 years for cervical cancer.
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Clinicians should start screening average-risk women for cervical cancer at age 21 years once every 3 years with cytology (cytologic tests without human papillomavirus [HPV] tests).
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Clinicians should not screen average-risk women for cervical cancer with cytology more often than once every 3 years.
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Clinicians may use a combination of cytology and HPV testing once every 5 years in average-risk women aged 30 years or older who prefer screening less often than every 3 years.
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Clinicians should not perform HPV testing in average-risk women younger than 30 years.
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Clinicians should stop screening average-risk women older than 65 years for cervical cancer if they have had 3 consecutive negative cytology results or 2 consecutive negative cytology plus HPV test results within 10 years, with the most recent test performed within 5 years.
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Clinicians should not screen average-risk women of any age for cervical cancer if they have had a hysterectomy with removal of the cervix.
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Recommendation Grading

Overview

Title

Cervical Cancer Screening in Average-Risk Women

Authoring Organization

American College of Physicians

Publication Month/Year

June 1, 2015

Last Updated Month/Year

January 10, 2024

Supplemental Implementation Tools

Document Type

Guideline

External Publication Status

Published

Country of Publication

US

Document Objectives

The purpose of this best practice advice article is to describe the indications for screening for cervical cancer in asymptomatic, average-risk women aged 21 years or older.

Target Patient Population

Women 21 years or older

Inclusion Criteria

Female, Adult, Older adult

Health Care Settings

Ambulatory, Outpatient

Intended Users

Nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, physician assistant

Scope

Assessment and screening, Management

Diseases/Conditions (MeSH)

D011315 - Preventive Medicine, D014611 - Vaccination, D030361 - Papillomavirus Infections, D053918 - Papillomavirus Vaccines, D002577 - Uterine Cervical Diseases, D002583 - Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Keywords

vaccination, cervical cancer, invasive cervical cancer, pap test