Why Your Next Cervical Screen Might Not Be a Papanicolaou Test
- The Review Course in Family Medicine
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
We had a blast at SRPC’s Rural and Remote conference!
This event is always one of our yearly highlights, and we really enjoyed meeting you in person!
-Simon and Paul
A smear campaign we can actually get behind.
Patients with a cervix will soon be asking for a swab every five years instead of three. This shift marks a major change in preventive health. The primary goal is to eliminate cervical cancer in Canada by 2040.
The high-yield takeaways:
Start screening at age 25.
Prioritize Human Papillomavirus testing.
Screen every five years.
To help this stick, do you know the age to stop screening in most provinces?
The answer to the question above: Most provinces recommend stopping screening at age 69. Quebec and Prince Edward Island stop at age 65.
The national guideline from 2013 is now considered outdated. We are moving away from Papanicolaou tests every three years. Instead, the recommended test is a Human Papillomavirus test every five years. This applies to patients at average risk. If a patient has symptoms or a positive test, they leave this screening pathway. You must then follow diagnostic steps instead.
Human Papillomavirus testing is already available in Ontario and British Columbia. It is also used in the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Prince Edward Island. Alberta, Quebec, and Manitoba are currently in a transition phase. Expect other provinces to follow soon.
So what should you study for the exam when guidelines conflict? That's one of the most common questions we get - see our video breakdown of what the CFPC says and how to study.
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