A Pap smear, also called a Pap test, is a screening procedure that can detect cervical cancer. During a Pap smear, a doctor or practitioner collects cells from the cervix. The cervix is the opening to ...

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022 cervical cancer was the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, with about 660,000 new cases. Studies project that cervical cancer ...

New federal guidelines will make it easier for women to get screened for cervical cancer. According to the new recommendations by the Health Resources and Services Administration, women between the ...

The American Cancer Society has endorsed self-collected vaginal samples for cervical cancer screening — a change medical experts say will help expand access and improve detection. The updated ACS ...

A new proposal recommends replacing routine pap smears with HPV testing every five years for women over 30, signaling a serious shift in cervical cancer screening guidelines. Reading time 3 minutes ...

Say goodbye to the dreaded Pap smear. While skipping it has long been a major gyno-no, the annual health checkup for cervical cancer is possibly one of the most disliked activities for women. But new ...

The latest ACOG guidelines recommend a longer span between testing, in contrast to the traditional annual test. In the absence of risk factors such as those previously mentioned, women are advised to ...

Seeing squamous metaplastic or endocervical cells on your Pap smear test results may raise some questions and concerns. However, the presence of these cells isn’t usually a cause for concern. The ...

Human papillomavirus (HPV) blood tests and Pap smear tests are methods for detecting cervical cancer. Doctors may recommend a person has both tests to check for cervical cancer. Share on Pinterest ...

Share on Pinterest What do the new cervical cancer screening guidelines say? We outline three key changes. Image credit: Maria Korneeva/Getty Images On December 4, 2025, the American Cancer Society ...