Cervical Cancer Screening Summary The cervix is the lower part of the uterus, the place where a baby grows during pregnancy. Cancer screening is looking for cancer before you have any symptoms. Cancer found early may be easier to treat. Cervical cancer screening is usually part of a woman’s health checkup. There are two types of tests: the Pap test and the HPV test. For both, the doctor or nurse collects cells from the surface of the cervix. With the Pap test, the lab checks the sample for cancer cells or abnormal cells that could become cancer later. With the HPV test, the lab checks for HPV infection. HPV is a virus that spreads through sexual contact. It can sometimes lead to cancer. If your screening tests are abnormal, your doctor may do more tests, such as a biopsy. Cervical cancer screening has risks. The results can sometimes be wrong, and you may have unnecessary follow-up tests. There are also benefits. Screening has been shown to decrease the number of deaths from cervical cancer. You and your doctor should discuss your risk for cervical cancer, the pros and cons of the screening tests, at what age to start being screened, and how often to be screened. National Cancer Institute Specifics Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Test Results American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists How to Interpret Abnormal Pap Smear Results American Academy of Family Physicians HPV Test American Association for Clinical Chemistry Making Sense of Your Pap and HPV Test Results Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Pap Smear American Association for Clinical Chemistry Screening for Cervical Cancer U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Find an Expert American Cancer Society American Cancer Society Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute Start Here CDC Vital Signs: Cervical Cancer is Preventable Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cervical Cancer Screening American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Cervical Cancer Screening National Cancer Institute Get Tested for Cervical Cancer Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Prevent Cervical Cancer Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Understanding Cervical Changes: A Health Guide for Women National Cancer Institute What Should I Know about Screening? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Patient Handouts Cervical cancer — screening and prevention Pap smear Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Human Papillomavirus DNA Tests National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Papanicolaou Test National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Vaginal Smears National Institutes of Health Encyclopedia Colposcopy – directed biopsy Reference Desk Dictionary of Cancer Terms National Cancer Institute Array HPV DNA test Pap and HPV Testing National Cancer Institute Related Issues Pap Smear: Do I Need One If I’m a Virgin? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Pap Smear: Still Necessary After Hysterectomy? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Risks of Cervical Cancer Screening National Cancer Institute Teenagers Pap Smears Nemours Foundation Images Pap Test National Cancer Institute Journal Articles Cervical Cancer Screening Health Check Tools Your Cervical Cancer Risk Siteman Cancer Center
