What women must know about cervical cancer screening

Cervical cancer is one of the common gynecological malignancies, and its incidence rate is second only to breast cancer among female malignancies in my country. The peak age of onset is 40 to 60 years old, but in recent years, the age of onset of cervical cancer has been trending younger. Cervical cancer can be effectively controlled through the examination and treatment of precancerous lesions, so cervical cancer screening is particularly important.

The main cause of cervical cancer is human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which is closely related to sexual life. Some unhealthy sexual behaviors, such as starting sexual life too early, having multiple sexual partners or having a husband with multiple sexual partners, increase the chance of HPV infection; in addition, poor menstrual hygiene, prolonged menstruation, early marriage, early childbearing, and multiple births are also high-risk factors;

Cervical cancer develops slowly, and it takes several years for precancerous lesions to develop into cervical cancer. Therefore, regular screening can detect precancerous lesions in time and solve the problem through surgery. If it is not detected in time and allowed to develop, it may progress to a malignant tumor, namely cervical cancer. So how to conduct relevant screening?

Cervical cytology smear test (TCT, commonly known as cervical smear) and HPV testing are the primary screening methods for early cervical cancer and precancerous lesions (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, CIN) at this stage, especially for the diagnosis of early lesions with no obvious clinical signs. The sample should be collected from the transition zone of the cervical epithelium, that is, the area between the new and old squamous-columnar epithelium. HPV virus testing can be an effective supplement to TCT, and the combination of the two is conducive to improving the screening effect.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that screening begin at age 21.

Women under 21 years of age do not need to be screened.

For those aged 21 to 29, it is recommended to have a TCT examination every 3 years;

For those aged 30 to 65, you can have a TCT test every 3 years, or a combined TCT and HPV test every 5 years. If there have been no problems with the screening, you can consider stopping screening at around 65 years old.

If you are over 65 and have never been screened, regular screening is recommended.

If previous screening results are normal, it is generally recommended to conduct TCT and HPV combined screening every 1-2 years; if the results are abnormal, shorten the screening interval as recommended by the doctor, or conduct appropriate treatment.

The key to preventing cervical cancer is early detection, regular physical examinations and screenings, and HPV vaccination appointments for women of appropriate age to nip cervical cancer in the bud.