Cervical cancer is a preventable cancer, and one important prevention tool is regular screening. At age 21, women can be screened with a Pap test. Starting at age 30, women should get an HPV test as part of screening. The HPV test can find the types of HPV (human papillomavirus) most commonly found in cervical cancer.
HPV infection is very common in younger women, but in most cases it clears from the body on its own. In women 30 and older, though, a “high risk” HPV infection is less likely to go away on its own.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of new cervical cancer cases occur among women who have never been screened or are not up-to-date with screening. So don’t delay—make sure you get screened regularly. Talk to your healthcare provider about your screen test.
Printable Patient Materials
Need educational materials for your waiting room or community event? The screen test fact sheet and postcard both explain the importance of screening and highlight the HPV test for women 30 and older. Materials are print-ready for home, office or professional printing.