A new draft recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) suggests that testing for human papilloma viruses (HPV) every 5 years starting at age 30 is a preferred screening strategy, emphasizing the need for testing for high-risk HPV with vaginal samples as opposed to the traditional cervical cytology pap tests. The USPSTF notes that the HPV test is more effective than a pap test as a cervical cancer screening tool for ages 30 to 65 and that women in their 20s should still get a pap test every 3 years. The recommendation also includes use of the newly approved self-collection tests for HPV, administered in a healthcare setting. Self-collection samples still need to go to a lab for analysis, but the test allows patients to take their own vaginal swabs, which many may find more comfortable. Public comment on the draft recommendation will be accepted through January 13, 2025. According to the American Cancer Society, trends forecast that 13,820 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed this year in the United States.
Read more from the JUCM archive: New HPV Screen Allows for Simplified Patient Self-Collection