Health panel lays out guidelines for self-administered cervical cancer screening

NEW GUIDELINES COULD CHANGE THE WAY WOMEN GET SCREENED FOR CANCER-CAUSING H-P-V.

ON TUESDAY – THE U-S PREVENTIVE SERVICES TASK FORCE ADDED THE OPTION FOR WOMEN TO TAKE THEIR OWN SAMPLES FOR THE TEST.

THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION APPROVED SELF-COLLECTION IN MAY – BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT’S ACTUALLY BEEN RECOMMENDED.

UNDER THE GUIDELINES – WOMEN IN THEIR 20s SHOULD STILL GET A TRADITIONAL PAP TEST EVERY THREE YEARS…

BUT ONCE THEY HIT 30, THEY CAN SWITCH TO SELF-COLLECTION H-P-V TESTS EVERY FIVE YEARS.

THE TASK FORCE SAID OTHER SCREENING OPTIONS FOR THOSE 30 AND OLDER ARE CONTINUING WITH TRADITIONAL PAP TESTS EVERY THREE YEARS…

OR GETTING A **COMBINED** PAP SMEAR **AND** H-P-V TEST EVERY FIVE YEARS – BUT THEY SAY GETTING AN H-P-V SCREENING EVERY FIVE YEARS IS THE IDEAL METHOD.

AND THE TASK FORCE SAYS YOU SHOULD GET TESTED, EVEN IF YOU’VE BEEN VACCINATED AGAINST H-P-V.

H-P-V IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF CERVICAL CANCER – WHICH IS ONE OF THE TOP PREVENTABLE CAUSES OF DEATH IN THE U-S.

DESPITE THAT – THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE SAYS ABOUT ONE IN FIVE AMERICAN WOMEN ARE OVERDUE FOR CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING.

THE C-D-C SAYS MORE THAN 11-THOUSAND NEW CASES OF CERVICAL CANCER ARE DIAGNOSED EVERY YEAR IN THE U-S – AND ABOUT 4-THOUSAND WOMEN DIE FROM IT PER YEAR.

ONE STUDY FOUND NEARLY TWO OUT OF THREE CERVICAL CANCER CASES ARE DIAGNOSED IN WOMEN WHO DID NOT GET SCREENED WITHIN THE RECOMMENDED INTERVAL.

THESE NEW RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE NOT YET BEEN FINALIZED – THE  TASK FORCE IS ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENTS THROUGH JANUARY 13-TH.

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