Cervical cancer screening to begin at 21 and less often

According to the American Cancer Society cervical cancer has affected 11,270 US women in 2009. This is still a big number considering that over the last 30 years, "cervical cancer screening has decreased the cervical cancer incidence rate by half", according to the the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

Just like any screening tests there are pros and cons and it's believed that there are known harms associated with screening women younger than 21 and experts say that cervical cancer is extremely rare among adolescents.

According to Dr. Debbie Saslow of the American Cancer Society most women who die from cervical cancer have never been screened, or have not been screened in at least 5 years. Experts recommend that women should be informed about the potential benefits, harms, and limitations of cervical cancer screening.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and ACOG both agree that:

• women 30 and older should be screened for cervical cancer once every 2 years, instead of annually as was previously recommended
• women 30 and older who have had 3 consecutive negative tests be screened once every 3 years
• certain women, including those with HIV or a weakened immune system, get screened every year. The same goes for women who have had previous cervical abnormalities, and women exposed to the chemical DES.
• women around age 65 to 70 should stop screening, as long as a woman has had 3 negative tests in the last 10 years. Women who have had a hysterectomy for benign reasons do not need to be screened.