Cervical Cancer Screening

“The primary goal of screening is to identify precancerous lesions caused by HPV so they can be removed to prevent invasive cancers from developing”.1

Umbrella
What may the Cervical Cancer Screening Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Cervical Cancer Early Detection
  • Cervical Cancer Screening
  • Cervical Screening
  • HPV Screening
  • Pap Smear
  • Pap Smear Test
  • Pap Test
  • Smear Test

Definition

What is cervical cancer screening?

Dots the definition of cervical cancer screening may Vary. The (United States) National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) definition is:

“The primary goal of screening is to identify precancerous lesions caused by HPV so they can be removed to prevent invasive cancers from developing. A secondary goal is to find cervical cancers at an early stage, when they can usually be treated successfully. Routine cervical screening has been shown to greatly reduce both the number of cervical cancer cases and deaths from the disease”.2

What is HPV?

HPV can be an abbreviation for Human Papillomavirus.

Screening Tests

What are cervical cancer screening tests?

In Cervical Cancer: Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging – Screening Tests for Cervical Cancer the American Cancer Society elaborate on:

“The best way to find cervical cancer early is to have regular screening tests. The tests for cervical cancer screening are the HPV test and the Pap test. These tests can be done alone or at the same time (called a co-test). Regular screening has been shown to prevent cervical cancers and save lives. The most important thing to remember is to get screened regularly, no matter which test you get”.3

In Gynecologic Cancers: Cervical Cancer – What Should I Know About Screening? the (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explain:

“Two screening tests can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early—

  1. 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.
  2. The HPV test looks for the virus (human papillomavirus) that can cause these cell changes.

Both tests can be done in a doctor’s office or clinic”.4

Start

When may women start regular Pap tests?

Depending on You (DoY), DotS and/or Depending on Your Country’s (DoyC’s) cervical cancer screening program, when women start regular Pap tests can vary. It may therefore be in your best interest to choose to check what’s-what for you.

In HPV and Pap Testing: When Should A Woman Begin Cervical Cancer Screening, and How Often Should She Be Screened? the NCI elaborate on:

 

Cervical Cancer Screening

“Women should talk with their doctor about when to start screening and how often to be screened”.5

Screening Program

Where may women find information about cervical cancer screening or early detection programs?

Women may find information about cervical cancer screening or early detection programs from their health care provider or their country’s equivalent of a local community health center or a national and/or state Department/Center/Institute of Aging/Cancer/Disease Control and Prevention/Health/Human Services.

Your country may have a program similar to Australia’s, the United Kingdom’s or the United States’ cervical cancer screening or early detection programs.

Screening Program Example

What is the United States’ cervical cancer screening program?

In National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP): Find A Screening Program Near You the CDC explain:

“CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostic services to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women across the United States”.6

Cervical Cancer Is Not Just A Women’s Issue

Is cervical cancer just a women’s issue?

In Eliminating Cervical Cancer: Dispelling Common Misconceptions – Cervical Cancer Is Not Just A Women’s Issue the Union for International Cancer Control explain:

“Both men and women can be infected by HPV. As men are carriers of HPV, they have an important role in prevention, and an even more critical role in cultures and countries where they have strong influence in the decision-making around their partner’s health, including offering financial support and encouraging partners to get screened or seek treatment”.7

Health Care Provider

When may women stop having regular Pap tests?

DoY, DotS and/or DoYC’s cervical cancer screening program, when women may stop regular Pap tests can vary. It may therefore be in your best interest to choose to check what’s-what for you. A Mayo Clinic author clarifies:

“If you’re unsure whether you still need Pap tests, discuss with your doctor what’s best for you”.8

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Cervical Cancer Screening?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Cervical Cancer Screening?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.

  1. Blog: Our Smear Test Stories: the Jo’s Team Share Their Experiences
  2. CervingConfidence [+ Video]
  3. Cervical Cancer
  4. Cervical Cancer
  5. Cervical Cancer
  6. Cervical Cancer
  7. Cervical Cancer
  8. Cervical Cancer Cervical Cancer
  9. Cervical Cancer Awareness [+ Video – Ana’s Story: Cervical Cancer]
  10. Cervical Cancer Awareness: Screening Tests
  11. Cervical Cancer Cánceres Ginecológicos
  12. Cervical Cancer Overview
  13. Cervical Cancer Prevention (PDQ)–Patient Version
  14. Cervical Cancer Prevention Week [07–13 January 2022, United Kingdom]
  15. Cervical Cancer Risks and Causes
  16. Cervical Cancer Screening
  17. Cervical Cancer Screening
  18. Cervical Cancer Screening (PDQ)–Patient Version: What Is Screening?
  19. Cervical Cancer Screening Numbers Drop off In Women 45-65
  20. Cervical Cancer Screening – Multiply Languages
  21. Cervical Cancer Screening: Pap and HPV Tests
  22. Cervical Cancer Treatment (PDQ)–Patient Version
  23. Cervical Cancer – Multiply Languages
  24. Cervical Cancer: Basic Information About Cervical Cancer
  25. Cervical Cancer: Causes, Risk Factors, and Prevention
  26. Cervical Cancer: Causes, Risk Factors, and Prevention – Can Cervical Cancer Be Prevented?
  27. Cervical Cancer: Causes, Risk Factors, and Prevention – Risk Factors for Cervical Cancer
  28. Cervical Cancer: Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging
  29. Cervical Cancer: Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging – Can Cervical Cancer Be Found Early?
  30. Cervical Cancer: Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging – Screening Tests for Cervical Cancer
  31. Cervical Cancer: Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging – Screening Tests for Cervical Cancer: The HPV Test
  32. Cervical Cancer: Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging – Screening Tests for Cervical Cancer: The Pap (Papanicolaou) Test
  33. Cervical Cancer: How Is Cervical Cancer Diagnosed and Treated?
  34. Cervical Cancer: Prevention of Cervical Cancer: The Cervical Cancer Vaccine – Do You Still Need To Have Cervical Screening Tests If You Have Had the Vaccine?
  35. Cervical Cancer: Screening
  36. Cervical Cancer: Treating Cervical Cancer
  37. Cervical Cancer: What Are the Risk Factors for Cervical Cancer?
  38. Cervical Cancer: What Are the Risk Factors for Cervical Cancer? Lack of Regular Cervical Screening Tests
  39. Cervical Cancer: What Are the Symptoms of Cervical Cancer?
  40. Cervical Cancer: What Can I Do To Reduce My Risk of Cervical Cancer?
  41. Cervical Cancer: What Should I Know About Screening?
  42. Cervical Cancer–Patient Version
  43. Cervical Health Awareness Month [United States]
  44. Cervical Health Awareness Month: Information, Research, Patient Services, Advocacy
  45. Cervical Screening
  46. Cervical Screening Awareness Week 14-20 June 2021 [United Kingdom]
  47. Cervical Screening Test [Australia]
  48. Cervical Screening: Helping You Decide [United Kingdom]
  49. Cervical Screening: Leaflet for Women Considering Screening [Multiply Languages] [United Kingdom]
  50. Cervical Screening: Overview [Video Interview Stories]
  51. Cervical Screening: Profiles – Age 45-59 [Video Interview Stories]
  52. Cervical Screening: Profiles – Age 60+ [Video Interview Stories]
  53. Cervical Screening: Programme Overview [England]
  54. Cervical Screening: What Is Cervical Screening? [+ Video]
  55. Colposcopy
  56. Colposcopy
  57. Consumer Health: Preventing Cervical Cancer
  58. Eliminating Cervical Cancer: Dispelling Common Misconceptions
  59. Free/Low-Cost Pap Testing [United States]
  60. HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
  61. HPV Awareness Day [+ Video]
  62. HPV FAQs
  63. HPV Infection: How Does It Cause Cervical Cancer?
  64. HPV Vaccine: Who Needs It, How It Works
  65. HPV and Cancer
  66. HPV and Pap Testing
  67. HPV and Pap Testing: Do Women Who Have Been Vaccinated Against HPV Still Need To Be Screened for Cervical Cancer?
  68. HPV and Pap Testing: What Is Cervical Cancer Screening?
  69. HPV and Pap Testing: When Should A Woman Begin Cervical Cancer Screening, and How Often Should She Be Screened
  70. HPV and Relationships
  71. Have You Heard the Secret To Cervical Cancer Prevention?
  72. Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
  73. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Cervical Cancer
  74. Human Papillomavirus (HPV): About HPV
  75. Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Questions and Answers
  76. Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
  77. Hysterectomy: I’ve Had A Hysterectomy. Do I Still Need To Have Pap Tests?
  78. Is It Time for Your Screen Test? [+ Video]
  79. Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust [United Kingdom]
  80. Know Your Normal Get Abnormal Bleeding Checked
  81. Let’s Talk About…Smear Tests When You Have Endometriosis
  82. Mayo Clinic Minute: Cervical Cancer Screening and Prevention
  83. Mayo Clinic Q and A: Importance of Cervical Cancer Screening With HPV Test, Pap Test or Both
  84. Mayo Clinic Q&A Podcast: Screening Can Catch Cervical Cancer Early [+ Video Courtesy Mayo Clinic News Network]
  85. National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP)
  86. National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP): Find A Screening Program Near You
  87. National Cervical Cancer Coalition
  88. New Recommendations for Screening and Treatment To Prevent Cervical Cancer
  89. Our Videos: [+ Screening (Other Language Films)]
  90. Pap Smear
  91. Pap Smear: Do I Need One If I’m A Virgin?
  92. Pap Smear: Still Needed After Hysterectomy?
  93. Pap and HPV Tests
  94. Reaching 2030 Cervical Cancer Elimination Targets – New WHO Recommendations for Screening and Treatment of Cervical Pre-Cancer [06 July 2021] Seen This July 2021 What’s Hot
  95. The American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Prevention and Early Detection of Cervical Cancer
  96. The Cervix
  97. The Pap (Papanicolaou) Test
  98. Video Series-2020 – What To Ask Your Clinician About the HPV Vaccine
  99. What Is Cervical Cancer?
  100. What Is Cervical Cancer?

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. HPV and Pap Testing: What Is Cervical Cancer Screening? Reviewed: 20 December 2019. National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/types/cervical/pap-hpv-testing-fact-sheet#q2 Accessed: 18 June 2021
  2. HPV and Pap Testing: What Is Cervical Cancer Screening? Reviewed: 20 December 2019. National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/types/cervical/pap-hpv-testing-fact-sheet#q2 Accessed: 18 June 2021
  3. Cervical Cancer: Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging – Screening Tests for Cervical Cancer. Last Reviewed: 30 July 2020. American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cervical-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/screening-tests.html Accessed: 18 June 2021
  4. Gynecologic Cancers: Cervical Cancer – What Should I Know About Screening? Page Last Reviewed: 12 January 2021. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/basic_info/screening.htm Accessed: 18 June 2021
  5. HPV and Pap Testing: When Should A Woman Begin Cervical Cancer Screening, and How Often Should She Be Screened? Reviewed: 20 December 2019. National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/types/cervical/pap-hpv-testing-fact-sheet#q4 Accessed: 18 June 2021
  6. National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP): Find A Screening Program Near You. Page Last Reviewed: 16 December 2019. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/screenings.htm Accessed: 18 June 2021
  7. Eliminating Cervical Cancer: Dispelling Common Misconceptions – Cervical Cancer Is Not Just A Women’s Issue. Union for International Cancer Control https://www.worldcancerday.org/Eliminate Accessed: 18 June 2021
  8. Burnett, T. Pap Smear: Still Needed After Hysterectomy? 22 October 2020. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/pap-smear/expert-answers/pap-smear/faq-20058344 Accessed: 18 June 2021

Topic Last Updated: 10 July 2021 – Topic Last Reviewed: 18 June 2021
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