The American Cancer Society (ACS) released new recommendations for cervical cancer screening that focus on HPV testing and approve the use of self-collected samples. The recommendations, which apply to anyone with a cervix who is at average risk, also clarify the age at which screening should start and stop.

The ACS is one of two groups that make recommendations about screening for different types of cancer. The other group is the United States Preventative Service Task Force (USPSTF) which is made up of independent doctors, nurses, and public health experts. Their recommendations impact what health insurance will pay for. USPSTS is in the process of revising their cervical cancer screening guidelines as well.

Here’s what everyone should know about the new ACS screening recommendations:

• HPV Primary: The ACS recommends that providers use an HPV primary test which looks for the presence of the types of HPV (human papilloma virus) that are known to cause almost all cases of cervical cancer. If the HPV primary test is not available, the ACS recommends co-testing. Co-testing involves an HPV test done at the same time as a Pap test (also called cytology). If this is not available, the ACS says providers can use the Pap test alone.
• Screening starting at 25: The ACS recommends people start screening at age 25 regardless of what test they are getting. This is in part because cervical cancer is rare in younger people. This is different than current USPSTF recommendations that suggest that people get Pap tests between ages 21 and 29 and then start HPV primary testing or co-testing at age 30.
• Self-collection is acceptable: Traditionally, all samples for HPV tests or Pap tests were collected by a health care provider during a speculum exam. The ACS continues to say that this is the preferred method of collection, but acknowledges that this can be difficult for some people or in some areas. In those cases, the ACS say that self-collected HPV tests are an acceptable alternative.
• Three- to five-year follow up: The recommendations explain that how often a person should get screened depends on which test(s) they were given and how the samples were collected. People who get HPV primary testing or co-testing using a provider-collected sample and have normal results should be screened again in five years. People who collect their own samples for HPV testing and have normal results should be screened again in three years. People who only get a Pap test and have normal results should be screened again in three years. Anyone who has abnormal results will likely need to be screened more frequently.
• Ending at 65 if tests results were normal: The ACS recommends that people stop screening at 65 if they have had a decade of normal results. This either means that they had negative HPV tests at 60 and 65 or that they had three consecutive Pap tests that were negative, and the last one was at age 65.

There are nearly 14,000 cases of cervical cancer diagnosed in the United States each year and over 4,000 women die from the disease annually. The good news is that cervical cancer grows very slowly and can be detected and treated before it becomes cancer. That’s why screening is so important.

In the U.S., widespread cervical cancer screening has decreased the number of cancer cases by more than half since the mid-1970s. Today, over half of cervical cancer diagnosed in this country occurs in people who’ve never been screened or who have been infrequently screened.

These new guidelines offer many options for screening, including self-collection, that hopefully make it easier for more people to be screened. People potentially can get tested at their primary care provider’s office, an urgent care clinic, a mobile clinic, or even in some pharmacies. Or they can choose to collect their sample at home. This could be particularly helpful for people who don’t have access to a gynecologist, or those who don’t feel comfortable with vaginal exams.

“These updated recommendations will help to improve compliance with screening and reduce the risk of cervical cancer,” explained Dr. Robert Smith, senior vice president, early cancer detection science at the American Cancer Society. Dr. Smith went on to say that development of self-collection tools will “broaden access to screening.”