Who should go for cervical cancer screening?

• Screening targets women, 25 years or older, who have had sexual intercourse.
• Screening is recommended regardless of previous HPV vaccination.
• Screening is for all women, regardless of family history of cancer, history of pregnancy and childbirth, number of sexual partners, method of contraception, and smoking habits.
• Screening is repeated every five years if the woman remains well, has no abnormal changes in vaginal bleeding or discharge, and has no abnormal cervical findings on routine medical examination.
• Screening should continue after menopause regardless of cessation of sexual intercourse.
• Screening can cease if a woman has an operation to remove her uterus.

Timely eradication of CIN

• Cancer development can be prevented only if CIN is treated early.
• In 75 per cent of cases, grade-2 or grade-3 CIN can be effectively treated with a simple surgery known as LEEP or Loop Electro-Excision Procedure.
• This is an office procedure done with local anaesthetic.
• Approximately 25 per cent of cases of grade-3 CIN are treated with a surgery known as cone biopsy. In this procedure, a central portion of the cervix is removed. In most instances, the surgery is done with laser surgery in an operation suite.
• More than 90 per cent of cases have successful cure of CIN with one treatment only. The remaining cases are cleared of CIN in subsequent treatments.

If I do a cervical cancer screening test at 5-year intervals, should I continue with my yearly gynaecological check-ups?

You should not change your routine visit to your gynaecologist. Although your cervical cancer screening is done at 5-year interval, you still need to see your gynaecologist for a number of reasons, for example:

• screening of other diseases;
• managing menstrual problems, contraception, or fertility issues;
• treatment of genital infections; and
• managing menopausal issues.

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