Screening for Cervical Cancer Should Start at 21 (Update1)
By David Olmos and Rob Waters
Nov. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Women should begin cervical cancer screenings at age 21 rather than an earlier age, and most women younger than 30 can get the exam every two years instead of annually, a physicians’ group said.
The revised guidelines released today by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also recommend that women 30 and older get screened with a so-called Pap test once every three years, instead of every two to three years. The American Cancer Society’s gynecologic cancer director said the society agreed with the advice of the doctors’ organization that additional screenings may lead to unnecessary treatment.
The ob-gyn organization is the second medical group this week to recommend less-frequent cancer screenings, citing scientific data. A U.S.-backed panel said Nov. 16 that most women in their 40s shouldn’t get annual mammograms to prevent breast cancer, setting off protests from women, physicians and health advocacy groups such as the cancer society.
“The data is very good that a Pap test every two years is as good as a Pap test every year,” said Alan Waxman, the lead author of the new guidelines and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, in a telephone interview. The additional tests are inconvenient and costly, and research shows “it doesn’t make a difference in terms of lives saved,” he said.
Nov. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Women should begin cervical cancer screenings at age 21 rather than an earlier age, and most women younger than 30 can get the exam every two years instead of annually, a physicians’ group said.
The revised guidelines released today by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also recommend that women 30 and older get screened with a so-called Pap test once every three years, instead of every two to three years. The American Cancer Society’s gynecologic cancer director said the society agreed with the advice of the doctors’ organization that additional screenings may lead to unnecessary treatment.
The ob-gyn organization is the second medical group this week to recommend less-frequent cancer screenings, citing scientific data. A U.S.-backed panel said Nov. 16 that most women in their 40s shouldn’t get annual mammograms to prevent breast cancer, setting off protests from women, physicians and health advocacy groups such as the cancer society.
“The data is very good that a Pap test every two years is as good as a Pap test every year,” said Alan Waxman, the lead author of the new guidelines and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, in a telephone interview. The additional tests are inconvenient and costly, and research shows “it doesn’t make a difference in terms of lives saved,” he said.
posted by Addie at
7:13 PM
5 Comments:
I can't beleive this America has consstently been number one in cancer care. Now these groups are messing with that by suggesting less frequent cancer screenings.
I hope that less cancer screenings and later starting ages means that it's not affecting as many people or affecting them as severely or popping up in as many young people. Maybe this is a bit of good news, but they definitely should have elaborated on their findings to avoid confusion...
I agree with Mandy that this could be a good finding but it's been my experience that if people begin to want to reduce the number of screenings then it has little to do with the patient and more to do with money. Benjamin Franklin is the most important individual in our society.
How do they expect us women to trust the medical world if they can't even make up their minds.
They are playing with people lives here. These suggestions are making guinea pigs out off all women.
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