Cervical cancer screening has changed as of March 3rd, 2025.
We previously did a cytology test, also commonly known as a “Pap smear”, which looked at the cervical cells to tell us if they were normal, abnormal, or somewhere in between.
Since we know that cervical cancer is caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV), we are now doing testing for HPV itself. There are many strains of HPV, and most of us who have ever been sexually active have had exposure to HPV. Our bodies are usually able to clear these infections without any treatment. When we do the new cervical cancer screen, we are testing for the strains of HPV that are most likely to persist over time and can lead to cervical cancer. This is still a cervical swab, much like a pap smear, so we still need to see patients in the office for this test. If you test negative for HPV, you are at very low risk for developing cervical cancer, and most patients won’t need to be rescreened for another 5 years.
Please see the following links for more information:
https://www.cancercareontario.ca/sites/ccocancercare/files/assets/HPV-Testing-Fact-Sheet-EN.pdf
https://www.cancercareontario.ca/en/guidelines-advice/cancer-continuum/screening/hpv-hub
https://www.sexandu.ca/stis/hpv/
Feel free to talk with your primary care provider if you have any more questions about changes to cervical cancer screening!