Mayo Clinic Q and A: Cervical cancer and HPV screening

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Since age 20, I have had annual visits with a gynecologist. I am now in my late 30s, and my physician recommended that I get an HPV test in addition to a Pap test to check for cervical cancer. What is the importance of both? And what is my risk of cervical cancer?

ANSWER: Screening for cervical cancer can cause a lot of confusion because guidelines and tests have evolved over the years.

A Pap test is an important screening exam that’s used to check for abnormal cells on the cervix that could indicate early-stage cervical cancer or precancerous cells. The test for human papillomavirus, or HPV, also is important because if you have that virus, it raises your risk for developing cervical cancer. Knowing if you have HPV or not can inform and direct your health care in the future.

Cervical cancer occurs in the lower part of the uterus known as the cervix, which connects the uterus to the vagina. The most common types of cervical cancer are squamous cell carcinoma — occurring in squamous cells, which line the outer part of the cervix — and adenocarcinoma, which develops in glandular cells in the cervical canal.

Anyone with a cervix is at risk of developing cervical cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 13,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed each year in the U.S. Hispanic women have the highest rates of developing the disease, while African American women are at greatest risk of dying from this cancer.

Additional risk factors for cervical cancer include:

— Multiple sexual partners

— Sexual activity at a young age

— Sexually transmitted infections

— Weakened immune system

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