Cervical Cancer Screening
Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Screening can be done with an HPV test or a Pap test.
| HPV Test | PAP Test |
|---|---|
| Looks for high-risk HPV types that can cause cervical cancer | Looks for cell changes in the cervix that could become cancer |
| More accurate at finding who is at risk | May miss some changes |
| Negative result = very low chance of cervical cancer in the next 5 years | Negative result = very low chance of cervical cancer in the next 3 years |
| If HPV is found, the same sample is checked for cell changes (Like a Pap test) | |
Both test are collected the same way during a speculum exam.
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