Cervical Cancer Screening Challenges

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers among women all over the world. Most cases of cervical cancer occur in countries with limited resources. Screening in areas with rich facilities in people with moderate risk is done with cytology every three years, an HPV test, or both together (co-test) every five years. Screening starts at the age of 21 and ends at the age of 65, provided that the screening is sufficient and normal. In HIV-positive and immunocompromised people, at first visit cytology and colposcopy are performed, and then cytology is done every year; if it is negative three times, it continues every three years. In areas with limited facilities, it is recommended to start screening at the age of 30 for most cases, and depending on the test used, repeat the test every 3–10 years. If two consecutive screening results are negative, screening can be stopped at age 50.