Cervical Cancer Screening

The third U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has been releasing new and updated guidelines during the past 18 months (guidelines homepage; Journal Watch May 15 2001; and Journal Watch Feb 11 2003).

USPSTF 3 concludes each of its guidelines with a recommendation, graded as follows:

A -- The intervention is strongly recommended.

B -- The intervention is recommended.

C -- The USPSTF makes no recommendation for or against the intervention.

D -- The intervention is not routinely recommended.

I -- Evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against the intervention.

There is good evidence from multiple observational studies that Pap smears reduce the incidence of, and mortality from, cervical cancer and that benefits outweigh any potential ha…