Annual screenings for cervical cancer may be unnecessary with combination of pap and HPV tests
Going to the doctor for routine checkups is an important part of maintaining good health.
Going to the doctor for routine checkups is an important part of maintaining good health. Getting screened for illnesses on a regular basis can help in the early detection of breast cancer, for which many patients buy Tamoxifen to slow the progression of the disease.
Although the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend a combination of a pap smear and an HPV test for women over the age of 30, after which the patient would be able to wait three years before their next cervical cancer screening, the majority of primary care doctors are still recommending annual tests for this condition.
This was the subject of a paper published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, in which scientists reported that less than 15 percent of physicians extended the cervical screening interval when using the pap smear and HPV test together.
"Use of the HPV co-test and adherence to the extended screening interval with normal test results reduce patient harms that can be caused by over-testing, including pain, inconvenience, morbidity, and unnecessary follow-up procedures and treatments," lead author Katherine B. Roland explained. "Appropriate use of cervical cancer screening technologies is essential, now more than ever, if HPV co-testing is to be considered a preventive service for women covered by insurance providers."
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