According to a new draft recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force, the “preferred screening strategy” for cervical cancer beginning at age 30 includes testing for high-risk human papillomaviruses every five years, even with a self-collected sample.
Cervical cytology, also referred to as Pap tests or Pap smears, has historically been used to screen for cervical cancer in many women. This procedure involves collecting cells from the cervix and examining them for indications of malignancy.
However, since the majority of cervical cancers are caused by high-risk human papillomaviruses, or HPV, the draft USPSTF proposal, which was made public on Tuesday, highlights HPV testing as a key screening strategy for women between the ages of 30 and 65. In the HPV test, a vaginal sample is taken.
