With regular screening, cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable. That’s a message we continue to deliver to help save lives, and this year, we have the arrival of self-collected HPV testing, a breakthrough that puts screening in patients’ hands.
Intermountain Health will begin offering self-collected HPV testing this spring, becoming one of the first health systems to provide this patient-friendly option. The test allows patients to collect their own sample using a soft swab inserted into the vagina. If the result is positive, a follow-up exam is required so a clinician can collect a cervical sample for further testing.
This is a gamechanger for people who feel uncomfortable with a pelvic exam or have trouble getting to a clinic for a patient appointment.
While self-collection is exciting, it does not replace routine gynecologic care.
Preventive visits address much more than cervical cancer screening, they include contraception counseling, STI testing, and vaccines. A lot of patients think a Pap is all they need, but that only screens for cervical cancer.
Current guidelines recommend starting cervical cancer screening at age 21 with a Pap test every three years. At age 30, patients can switch to either a primary HPV test every five years or co-testing with HPV and Pap every five years.
The preferred method is HPV testing, which looks for high-risk strains of the virus that cause nearly all cervical cancers. This test is done during a routine pelvic exam, when a clinician collects a sample from the cervix. If the result is negative, you usually do not need another test for years.
Other options include co-testing, which combines HPV and Pap tests every five years, or a Pap test alone every three years. The Pap test examines cervical cells under a microscope for changes that could lead to cancer.
Even if you’ve had the HPV vaccine or aren’t currently sexually active, screening is still essential.
HPV infections can linger silently for decades. Risk doesn’t go away just because you’re in a long-term relationship or past childbearing age.
Screening can stop at age 65, but only if you’ve had regular tests with normal results, two normal HPV or co-tests or three normal Pap tests in the past 10 years. People with a history of abnormal results, cervical cancer, or conditions that weaken the immune system may need a different plan.
I stress to patients that symptoms like unexplained bleeding, unusual discharge, or pelvic pain should never be ignored.
If something feels off, don’t wait. Talk to your provider right away. Screening and early detection save lives.
Megan Ross, MD, is a gynecologic oncology surgeon practicing at Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital and Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital. She completed an Obstetrics and Gynecology residency with the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora and a Gynecologic Oncology fellowship with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Her clinical interests include endometrial, ovarian, cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancers, complex gynecologic surgery, and minimally invasive surgeries.
