Risk of Cervical Cancer Associated with Extending the Interval between Cervical-Cancer Screenings

On the basis of data from a large population of women 30 to 64 years of age who had had three or more consecutive negative Papanicolaou smears, the authors conclude that, as compared with annual screening for three years, screening performed once every three years is associated with an excess risk of cervical cancer of no more than 3 in 100,000. Support for screening once every three years for some women. Citing the lack of direct evidence that annual screening leads to better outcomes than screening performed every three years, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently recommended that screening for cervical cancer be performed “at least every three years” rather than every year. 1 Similarly, guidelines issued by the American Cancer Society suggest lengthening the intervals between screenings to as long as three years among women 30 years of age or older who have had negative results on three or more consecutive cervical cytologic tests. 2 Despite recommendations issued in 1988 that women with previous negative tests undergo screening less frequently than . . .