An influential health panel has recommended that women should have the option of taking their own test samples for cervical cancer screening. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has issued draft recommendations to encourage more women to get screened and raise awareness that women can self-collect vaginal samples to check for cancer-causing HPV.
According to the panel, women in their 20s should still undergo a Pap test every three years. However, from ages 30 to 65, women have the option of getting an HPV test every five years. These HPV tests can be conducted using samples collected either by a healthcare provider or by the patient herself in a mobile clinic or medical office. Women aged 30 to 65 can also choose to have a Pap test done by a doctor every three years.
