Screening for Cervical Cancer ▲ U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Screening for Cervical Cancer

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Screening for Cervical Cancer

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This topic page summarizes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on screening for cervical cancer.

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Current Recommendation

Release Date: March 2012
These recommendations apply to women who have a cervix, regardless of sexual history. These recommendations do not apply to women who have received a diagnosis of a high-grade precancerous cervical lesion or cervical cancer, women with in utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol, or women who are immunocompromised (such as those who are HIV positive).

• The USPSTF recommends screening for cervical cancer in women ages 21 to 65 years with cytology (Pap smear) every 3 years or, for women ages 30 to 65 years who want to lengthen the screening interval, screening with a combination of cytology and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing every 5 years. See the Clinical Considerations for discussion of cytology method, HPV testing, and screening interval.
  Grade: A Recommendation.
• The USPSTF recommends against screening for cervical cancer in women younger than age 21 years.
  Grade: D Recommendation.
• The USPSTF recommends against screening for cervical cancer in women older than age 65 years who have had adequate prior screening and are not otherwise at high risk for cervical cancer. See the Clinical Considerations for discussion of adequacy of prior screening and risk factors.
  Grade: D Recommendation.
• The USPSTF recommends against screening for cervical cancer in women who have had a hysterectomy with removal of the cervix and who do not have a history of a high-grade precancerous lesion (i.e., cervical intraepithelial neoplasia [CIN] grade 2 or 3) or cervical cancer.
  Grade: D Recommendation.
• The USPSTF recommends against screening for cervical cancer with HPV testing, alone or in combination with cytology, in women younger than age 30 years.
  Grade: D Recommendation.

Supporting Documents

Supporting Document	Related Items
Recommendation Statement	Clinical Summary (PDF File, 36 KB; PDF Help)
	Consumer Fact Sheet (PDF File, 415 KB; PDF Help)
Evidence Report (PDF File, 169 KB; PDF Help)	Letter to the Editor and Response
	Supporting Article (PDF File, 157 KB; PDF Help)
	Evidence Synthesis (PDF File, 2 MB; PDF Help)
	Decision Analysis* (PDF File, 1.0 MB; PDF Help)

*Accessibility Notice: This .pdf file does not fully comply with the requirements for Federal information resources under Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The 508 compliant version will be posted on this site as soon as it is available. For additional assistance, please contact the author: Shalini Kulasingam, Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center, kulas016@umn.edu.