Women may collect own samples for cervical cancer screenings
Instead of a traditional pelvic exam to screen for cervical cancer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given the OK for patients to collect their own vaginal samples for screening in a health care setting.
Most cervical cancers are caused by human papillomavirus, or HPV, and screening for HPV can help identify women who may be at risk of developing cervical cancer.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for cervical cancer with cervical cytology every three years for women ages 21 to 29.
For women ages 30 to 65, the task force recommends screening every three years with cervical cytology alone, every five years with high-risk HPV testing alone, or every five years with high-risk HPV testing in combination with cytology.
Read more: American Cancer Society
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