Cervical cancer has been the leading cause of death in women in the US but now early detection methods such as HPV tests are coming in as game-changers. A study done earlier this year found that testing for cancer-related HPV tests outperformed the effectiveness of the Pap smear in women above 30 years of age. Taking the research forward, new cancer screening guidelines have been issued by the American Cancer Society. Accordingly, women from 30 to 65 years of age can get the HPV test done every five years or a Pap smear after three years; women over 65 years who have had clear tests don’t need more testing; and women under 21 years do not need any testing. The guidelines are a silver lining for women cancer patients; they reduce the discomfort of probing during a Pap smear test and will hopefully help to altogether phase out the test. The recommendations were published in Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
December 2018