Screening for Cervical Cancer

Release Date: January 2003

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This topic page summarizes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on screening for cervical cancer.

Summary of Recommendations / Supporting Documents

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Summary of Recommendations

• The USPSTF strongly recommends screening for cervical cancer in women who have been sexually active and have a cervix.
  Grade: A Recommendation.
• The USPSTF recommends against routinely screening women older than age 65 for cervical cancer if they have had adequate recent screening with normal Pap smears and are not otherwise at high risk for cervical cancer (go to Clinical Considerations).
  Grade: D Recommendation.
• The USPSTF recommends against routine Pap smear screening in women who have had a total hysterectomy for benign disease.
  Grade: D Recommendation.
• The USPSTF concludes that the evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against the routine use of new technologies to screen for cervical cancer.
  Grade: I Statement.
• The USPSTF concludes that the evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against the routine use of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as a primary screening test for cervical cancer.
  Grade: I recommendation.

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Supporting Documents

Screening for Cervical Cancer, January 2003
Recommendations and Rationale (PDF File, 89 KB; PDF Help)
Systematic Evidence Review (PDF File, 2.65 MB; PDF Help)

As part of the USPSTF's ongoing commitment to clarity about its work and methods, the USPSTF invites public comment on all draft recommendation statements. As a result, the recommendation on screening for cervical cancer does not appear with this accompanying background review. The USPSTF invited public comments on its draft recommendation statement on screening for cervical cancer from October 19 to November 30, 2011. Once finalized, the recommendation statement will reflect any changes made based on the public comments received and will be available on this page.

Screening for Cervical Cancer, October 2011
Evidence Update (PDF File, 169 KB; PDF Help)
Supporting Article (PDF File, 157 KB; PDF Help)
Evidence Synthesis (PDF File, 2 MB; PDF Help)
Decision Analysis (PDF File, 639 KB; PDF Help)

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Current as of November 2011

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Internet Citation:

Screening for Cervical Cancer, Topic Page. November 2011. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/uspscerv.htm

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