Release Date: January 2003
Summary of Recommendations / Supporting Documents
Summary of Recommendations
- The USPSTF strongly recommends screening for cervical cancer in women who
have been sexually active and have a cervix.
Grade: A
Recommendation.
- The USPSTF recommends against routinely screening women older than age 65
for cervical cancer if they have had adequate recent screening with normal
Pap smears and are not otherwise at high risk for cervical cancer (go to Clinical
Considerations).
Grade: D Recommendation.
- The USPSTF recommends against routine Pap smear screening in women who have
had a total hysterectomy for benign disease.
Grade: D
Recommendation.
- The USPSTF concludes that the evidence is insufficient to recommend for
or against the routine use of new technologies to screen for cervical cancer.
Grade: I Statement.
- The USPSTF concludes that the evidence is insufficient to recommend for
or against the routine use of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as a primary
screening test for cervical cancer.
Grade: I
recommendation.
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Supporting Documents
Screening for Cervical Cancer, January 2003
Recommendations and Rationale (PDF File, 89 KB; PDF Help)
Systematic Evidence Review (PDF File, 2.65 MB; PDF Help)
What's New (PDF File, 7 KB; PDF Help)
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Current as of January 2003
Internet Citation:
Screening for Cervical Cancer, Topic Page. January 2003. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspscerv.htm