Home screening approved for cervical cancer and HPV
By: Alyssa Goldberg
USA Today
..... Self-collected vaginal specimens are now acceptable for cervical cancer screening, according to new guidelines from the American Cancer Society.
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Clinical-collected cervical specimens are still preferred.
..... The American Cancer Society released the updated guidelines December 4, [2025] with key changes regarding the development of self-collection tools for human papillovavirus testing and new recommendation on when individuals can safely stop screening.
..... Cervical cancer screening programs have been widely successful, but 13,360cases are still expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year, [2025] and as estimated 4,320 people will die from the disease, according to the report. which was published in CA: A Cancer journal for Clinicians, the cancer society flagship journal.
..... "These updated recommendations will help to improve compliance with screening and reduce the risk of cervical cancer," said Dr. Robert Smith, senior vice persistent of early cancer detection science at American Cancer Society and senior author of the report.
..... The revised recommendations follow the recent approval of an HPV self-collection test by the Food and Drug administration in May: [2025] The Teal Wand, which features a sterile sample ball sue dot swab the vagina. Research has shown that long-lasting infections with certain strains of HPV causes virtually all cervical cancers. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, but it;s also preventable thanks to the vaccine Gardasil-9, which is known for historic drops in cancer.
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Cervical cancer is rare before age 25, so the cancer society recommends that average-risk individuals with a cervix start cervical cancer screening at age 25 and undergo primary HPV testing every five years through age 65.
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Under the new guidelines, testing is recommended every five years for clinician-collected cervical specimens, and every three years for self-collected vaginal specimens. Before discontinuing tests, ACS recommends that a person have negative primary HPV tests or negative co-testing at age 60 and 65.
..... Co-testing is when an HPV test and a pap test are done together. Pap tests look for changes to the cells in the cervix, while primary HPV testing tests for HOV directly. If imprimatur HPV testing is not available, three negative Pap tests every three years are acceptable before stopping screening, with the last test at age 65. Women older that age 65 who have followed the guidelines can safely exit screening.
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The guidelines do not apply to women who have had a hysterectomy with removal of he cervix unless they have a history of high-grade precancerous lesions - abnormal cells that have a high risk of developing into cancer if left untreated, but are not yet noncancerous.
..... Experts say that self-screening can alleviate geographic disparities in cervical cancer. Despite major strides in redying the disease, socioeconomic and geographical disparities remain. Individuals living in rural areas are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage cervical cancer. Mortality associated with the disease was 42% higher in rural than urban counties in recent years, according to a 2025 study in JAMA.