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