CAP TODAY Pathology/Laboratory Medicine/Laboratory Management
October 2017—The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force posted on Sept. 12 a draft recommendation statement and draft evidence review on screening for cervical cancer. The task force recommends that primary care clinicians screen for cervical cancer in women who are 21–29 years old every three years with cervical cytology. For women ages 30 to 65, screening is recommended with either cervical cytology alone every three years or with high-risk human papilloma virus (hrHPV) testing alone every five years.
The task force recommends against screening women younger than 21, women who are older than 65 who have been adequately screened previously, and women at any age who do not have a cervix.
These recommendations apply to all women who have a cervix and show no signs or symptoms of cervical cancer. They do not apply to women who are already at high risk for the disease, including those who have been diagnosed with a high-grade precancerous cervical lesion or have a weakened immune system.