What Can We Make of Cervical Cancer Screening Rules for Timely Diagnosis?

Cervical cancer screening, prevention, treatment, and diagnosis are all extremely important. According to the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 12,710 new cases and 4,290 deaths from cervical (uterine cervix) cancer in the United States will occur in 2011. Considering that cervical cancer is typically slow-growing cancer in which a woman may not experience symptoms, screening is essential. Cervical cancer can be detected with regular Pap tests, a procedure that involves cells from the cervix being extracted and examined under a microscope.

A recent New England Journal of Medicine article highlights cervical cancer screening guidelines, which are acclaimed for helping lower U.S. mortality from cervical cancer by 70 percent throughout the last 60 years. (Timely product)

Screening for cervical cancer with a Pap smear and pelvic examination at the start of sexual activity or by the time a woman is 18 years old and each year after that was established by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in 1995. The ACOG, the American Cancer Society (ACS), and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) developed guidelines addressing several matters associated with screening in 2002 and 2003. Moreover, in 2006, the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) created management guidelines. In 2009, the ACOG suggested that screening for "average-risk" women start at 21 years of age. On a similar note, studies suggest that the time between Pap screenings for previously well-screened healthy women 30 years of age or older can be extended to three years, during which their risk of cancer isn't expected to substantially rise.

The occurrence of cervical cancer increases for women between the ages of 25 and 30, as it is less common for women 20 and younger to have cancer. The majority of cervical cancer is detected at its early stage when it is largely curable.
To further understand the complexities surrounding cervical cancer and screening guidelines, please read this PDF from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) website. (oxygen cylinder in Dhaka)

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