American Cancer Society updates cervical cancer screening guidelines

The American Cancer Society just updated its guidelines for cervical cancer screening. Those with a cervix should begin regular screenings for cancer at age 25, which moves back the 2012 recommendation of screenings starting at age 21. At the same time, the new guidelines suggest that individuals with a cervix be tested for HPV — which causes almost all cases of cervical cancer — every five years starting at 25 years of age (the previous guidelines had recommended these tests at age 30 on). The guidelines also recommend HPV testing without an accompanying Pap test as HPV tests are more accurate and can be done less frequently. Not all facilities have made the switch to HPV testing alone and so a standalone Pap test every 3 years or a combination of the tests every 5 years is acceptable for now, the ACS says.