Cervical Cancer Screening

Regular PAP Tests are the Best Defense Against Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is the easiest female cancer to prevent, with regular screening tests and follow-up. Two tests can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early:

• The Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for precancers, cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately.
• The HPV test looks for the virus that can cause these cell changes.

The Pap test is recommended for all women, and can be done in a doctor’s office or clinic. During the Pap test, the doctor will use a plastic or metal instrument, called a speculum, to widen your vagina. This helps the doctor examine the vagina and the cervix, and collect a few cells and mucus from the cervix and the area around it. The cells are then placed on a slide or in a bottle of liquid and sent to a laboratory. The laboratory will check to be sure that the cells are normal.

If you are getting the HPV test in addition to the Pap test, the cells collected during the Pap test will be tested for HPV at the laboratory. Talk with your doctor, nurse, or other health care professional about whether the HPV test is right for you.

When you have your Pap test, your doctor also may perform a pelvic exam, checking your uterus, ovaries, and other organs to make sure there are no problems. There are times when your doctor may perform a pelvic exam without giving you a Pap test. Ask your doctor which tests you are having, if you are unsure.

If you have a low income, or do not have health insurance, you may be able to get a free or low-cost Pap test through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. To find out if you qualify, call your local program or 1-800-CDC-INFO.

When to Get Screened

You should start getting regular Pap tests at age 21, or within three years of the first time you have sex—which ever happens first. The Pap test is one of the most reliable and effective cancer screening tests available. It also can find other conditions that might need treatment, such as infection or inflammation.

In addition to the Pap test—the main test for cervical cancer—the HPV test may be used for screening women aged 30 years and older, or women of any age who have unclear Pap test results.

If you are 30 or older, and your screening tests are normal, your chance of getting cervical cancer in the next few years is very low. For that reason, your doctor may tell you that you will not need another screening test for up to three years. But you should still go to the doctor regularly for a check-up that may include a pelvic exam. Learn more about extending the interval between screenings.

It also is important for you to continue getting a Pap test regularly—even if you think you are too old to have a child, or are not having sex anymore. If you are older than 65 and have had normal Pap test results for several years, or if you have had your cervix removed (during an operation called a hysterectomy), your doctor may tell you it is okay to stop getting regular Pap tests.

For more information, please read the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force overview of cervical cancer screening recommendations.

How to Prepare for Your Pap Test

If you are going to have a Pap test in the next two days, you should not

• Douche, which means rinsing the vagina with water or another fluid.
• Use a tampon.
• Have sex.
• Use a birth control foam, cream, or jelly.
• Use a medicine or cream in your vagina.

You should also schedule your Pap test for a time when you are not having your period.

Pap Test Results

It can take up to three weeks to receive your Pap test results. Most results are normal. But if your test shows that something might not be normal, your doctor will contact you and figure out how best to follow up. There are many reasons why your Pap test results might not be normal. It usually does not mean you have cancer.

If your Pap test results show cells that are not normal and may become cancer, your doctor will let you know if you need to be treated. In most cases, treatment prevents cervical cancer from developing. It is important to follow up with your doctor right away to learn more about your test results and receive any treatment that may be needed.