How Often Do I Really Need a Pap?

Nobody particularly enjoys getting a Pap smear. But Pap smears have drastically reduced deaths from cervical cancer — by 74 percent since 1955. In fact, the five-year survival rate for the earliest stage of invasive cervical cancer is now 92 percent. Pap smears detect cervical cell changes early, when nearly all cervical cancers can be taken care of with minor surgery or other treatments.

Many people believe that cervical cancer is a cancer only of the young, or that you don’t need Pap tests anymore if you’ve had the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Not true. Currently, The American Cancer Society recommends:

• All women should begin cervical cancer screening at age 21 or when they begin sexual activity — whichever comes first.
• In addition to a yearly pelvic exam, women should also have a Pap test every three years until age 29.
• Starting at age 30, a human papillomavirus (HPV) test is collected with the Pap test. This is called “co-testing.” If these tests are normal, co-testing can then be performed every 5 years until age 65, or every three years if the Pap test is being done without an HPV test.
• Women over age 65 can stop getting screenings ONLY once they have had 20 years of regular screenings without detecting any serious pre-cancers (such as CIN2 or CIN3). This means that if you have never had a pre-cancer found, your last Pap test can be at age 65. If you had a pre-cancer found and treated at age 55, then you should continue getting the Pap test regularly until at least age 75.

Early detection is important, but you can also help prevent cervical cancer. Aside from age and family history, risk factors include certain sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), smoking, a diet low in fruits and vegetables, long-term use of birth control pills, having three or more full-term pregnancies, and having your first full-term pregnancy before the age of 17.

If you’re not sure whether you need to have a Pap test this year, or if you’re concerned about your risk for cervical cancer, talk to your doctor at Riverview Health to discuss screening recommendations.

Has it been a while since your last check-up, or do you need a new physician? Call us at 317.565.0535 to request an appointment.

Sources: ASHASTD.org, Cancer.org, NIH.gov