Reluctance to Lengthen Pap Testing Intervals

Fewer than 20% of physicians would extend cervical cancer screening intervals to ≥3 years in 35-year-old HPV-negative women with normal Pap tests.

The optimal interval for Pap screening is in flux as new human papillomavirus (HPV) data and testing methods emerge. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG; JW Womens Health Nov 23 2009) and the American Cancer Society have stated that women who are older than 30 with three consecutive normal Pap tests can be screened every 2 to 3 years; moreover, if HPV testing is also negative in such women, screening should occur “no more often than every 3 years.” How closely do healthcare providers follow these guidelines? Investigators surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1212 general and family physicians (FPs), general internists (IMs), and obstetrician-gynecologists (OB-GYNs) about their management strategies, parti…

Reviewing Author

Wendy S. Biggs, MD

Reluctance to Lengthen Pap Testing Intervals

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Reviewing Author