Cervical Cancer Screening: MedlinePlus

Cervical Cancer Screening: MedlinePlus



A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health

The cervix is the lower part of the uterus, the place where a baby grows during pregnancy. Cancer screening is looking for cancer before you have any symptoms. Cancer found early may be easier to treat.

Cervical cancer screening is usually part of a woman's health checkup. There are two types of tests: the Pap test and the HPV test. For both, the doctor or nurse collects cells from the surface of the cervix. With the Pap test, the lab checks the sample for cancer cells or abnormal cells that could become cancer later. With the HPV test, the lab checks for HPV infection. HPV is a virus that spreads through sexual contact. It can sometimes lead to cancer. If your screening tests are abnormal, your doctor may do more tests, such as a biopsy.

Cervical cancer screening has risks. The results can sometimes be wrong, and you may have unnecessary follow-up tests. There are also benefits. Screening has been shown to decrease the number of deaths from cervical cancer. You and your doctor should discuss your risk for cervical cancer, the pros and cons of the screening tests, at what age to start being screened, and how often to be screened.

Related Topics

• Cervical Cancer
• HPV
• Women's Health Checkup
• Cancers
• Female Reproductive System
• Women

National Institutes of Health

• The primary NIH organization for research on Cervical Cancer Screening is the National Cancer Institute

• Start Here

  • Cervical Cancer Screening(National Cancer Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Pap Smear(Patient Education Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • What Should I Know about Screening?(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Also available in Spanish

• Overviews

  • Cervical Cancer Screening(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) -PDF
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Get Tested for Cervical Cancer(Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)
  • Prevent Cervical Cancer(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Understanding Cervical Changes: A Health Guide for Women(National Cancer Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish

• Prevention/Screening

  •  CDC Vital Signs: Cervical Cancer is Preventable(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Specific Conditions

  • Finding Cervical Pre-Cancers(American Cancer Society)
  • How to Interpret Abnormal Pap Smear Results(American Academy of Family Physicians)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • HPV Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
  • Making Sense of Your Pap and HPV Test Results(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Pap and HPV Testing(National Cancer Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Pap Smear(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
  • Screening for Cervical Cancer(U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) - PDF

• Related Issues

  • Pap Smear: Do I Need One If I'm a Virgin?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Pap Smear: Still Necessary After Hysterectomy?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Risks of Cervical Cancer Screening(National Cancer Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Pictures & Photographs

  • Pap Test(National Cancer Institute)
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• Health Check Tools

  • Your Cervical Cancer Risk(Siteman Cancer Center)
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• Tutorials

  • Colposcopy(Patient Education Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Pap Smear(Patient Education Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Financial Issues

  • Cervical and Vaginal Cancer Screening (Pap Test and Pelvic Exam)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Cervical Cancer Prevention and Screening: Financial Issues(American Cancer Society)
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• Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Human Papillomavirus DNA Tests(National Institutes of Health)
  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Papanicolaou Test(National Institutes of Health)
  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Vaginal Smears(National Institutes of Health)
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• Journal Articles

  References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
  • Article: Cervical screening - presentations to well women's clinic.
  • Article: Women with problematic drug and alcohol use have higher rates...
  • Article: Doctors and patients confuse cervical screening with diagnostic tests.
  • Cervical Cancer Screening -- see more articles
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• Dictionaries/Glossaries

  • Dictionary of Cancer Terms(National Cancer Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Directories

  • Find a Cancer Doctor(American Society of Clinical Oncology)
  • National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP): Find a Screening Provider Near You(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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• Organizations

  • American Cancer Society
  • American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology
  • National Cancer Institute
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Law and Policy

  • Breast and Cervical Cancer Legislation(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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• Teenagers

  • Pap Smears(Nemours Foundation)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Patient Handouts

  • Cervical cancer -- screening and prevention
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Colposcopy - directed biopsy
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Pap and HPV Testing(National Cancer Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Pap smear
  • Also available in Spanish
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