Transcript How often do I need to get a Pap test?

Presented by: Colleen Stockdale, MD, MS
Raise your champagne glass and kiss the old year goodbye! It’s a new
beginning: time for creative resolutions and a passionate pledge to embrace
HEALTH!
Cervical Cancer is the fifth most common cancer in
Women worldwide!
~ With prevalence of cervical cancer at an all-time
high, it’s important to take the proper precautions
to keep your life and your body healthy and strong.
Make this year the finest year of all for your health and
wellness – you deserve it!
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Pap smears
The Pap test, also called a Pap smear, checks for changes in
the cells of your cervix. The cervix is the lower part of
the uterus (womb) that opens into the vagina (birth canal). The
Pap test can tell if you have an infection, abnormal (unhealthy)
cervical cells, or cervical cancer.
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Pap Tests: FAQs
Do all women need pap tests?
It is important for all women to have Pap tests, along with
pelvic exams as part of their routine health care. You need a
Pap test if you are 21 years or older. Women who have gone
through menopause still need regular Pap tests. Women ages
65 and older can talk to their doctor about stopping after at
least 3 normal Pap tests and no abnormal results in the last
10 years.
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Pap Tests: FAQs
How often do I need to get a Pap test?
• It depends on your age and health history.
Talk with your doctor about what is best for
you. Most women can follow these
guidelines:
• Starting at age 21, have a Pap test every 3
years.
• If you are over 65 years old, ask you doctor if
you can stop having Pap tests.
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Pap Tests: FAQs
Who does not need regular Pap tests?
• The only women who do not need regular Pap tests are:
• Women over age 65 who have had 3 normal Pap tests
and in a row and no abnormal test results in the last 10
years, and have been told by their doctors that they don't
need to be tested anymore.
• Women who do not have a cervix and are at low risk for
cervical cancer. These women should speak to their
doctor before stopping regular Pap tests.
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Pap Tests: FAQs
I had a hysterectomy. Do I still need Pap tests?
• Women who have had a total hysterectomy (uterus and cervix
removed) for reasons other than cancer may not need regular Pap
tests.
– Women who have had a total hysterectomy because of abnormal cells or cancer
should be tested yearly for vaginal cancer until they have three normal test
results.
• Women who have had only their uterus removed but still have a
cervix need regular Pap tests. Even women who have had
hysterectomies should see their doctor regularly.
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How to reduce your chances of
getting cervical cancer
Aside from getting Pap tests, the best way to avoid cervical
cancer is by steering clear of the human papillomavirus (HPV).
HPV is a major cause of cervical cancer. HPV is also one of the
most common sexually transmitted infections (STI). So, a woman
boosts her chances of getting cervical cancer if she:
•Starts having sex before age 18
•Has many sex partners
•Has sex partners who have other sex partners
•Has or has had a STI
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Identifying threats for Cervical Cancer:
• Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between
periods or after menopause
• Watery or bloody vaginal discharge that
may be heavy and have a foul odor
• Pelvic pain and/or pain during intercourse
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Diagnosis
Colposcopy: A colposcope is used to detect
the abnormal cells in detail.
Endocervical sample: A sample of cells is
collected with a small spoon-shaped tool
called a curette or endocervical brush.
Biopsy: A small sample of cervical tissue is
removed and sent to a lab for further study.
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WHAT’S NEW?
• Last spring, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
approved a stand-alone HPV test, triggering the
need for interim guidance until the major medical
societies revisit the formal guidelines – how does
the stand alone test fit in with the Pap test?
• The interim report calls for the Pap test to continue
as the primary screen for women under age 25.
After that, stand-alone HPV testing COULD begin at
25 and continue at three-year intervals as long as
results were negative. The report included direction
on what to do if an HPV test is positive, including
using a Pap test as a follow-up.
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So, now 3 screening options:
• Pap alone
• Pap + HPV testing
• HPV testing
• All require a speculum exam
• Will depend on provider / lab
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• Half of the cervical cancers that we see in
this country are women who have not been
screened in three to five years.
• TAKE HOME MESSAGE: What is most
important is to be screened (with any
strategy).
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Thank you!
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UI Women’s Health Center:
Make an appointment: 319-356-2294
Visit our website: www.uihealthcare.org/womenshealth
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/uiwomenshealth
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Sources:
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Center for Disease Control
CervicalCancer.org
Womenshealth.gov
Mayo Clinic
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