Women with an average risk of developing cervical cancer may test themselves at home for the virus that causes the disease, the American Cancer Society (ACS) advised Thursday.
The new guidance from the ACS, published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, says at-risk women aged 25-65 may self-test for human papillomavirus (HPV).
A long-lasting infection with certain types of HPV, which is passed via sex, is the main cause of cervical cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC notes getting vaccinated against HPV can prevent more than 90 percent of cancers caused by the virus.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Teal Health’s at-home vaginal sample collection device in May.
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Dr. Robert Smith, who co-authored the ACS report, said in a release that the updated guidance will “improve compliance with screening and reduce the risk of cervical cancer.”
The new guidelines state that average-risk women between the ages of 25 and 65 can self-test for HPV, with follow-up testing recommended three years after a negative result.
The guidelines do not apply to women outside of the age range, women who have had adequate prior screening and are not high-risk, or women who have had a hysterectomy — with removal of the cervix — unless they have a history of high-grade precancerous lesions, the ACS said.
The ACS projects that roughly 13,360 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed and 4,320 women will die of the disease this year.
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Symptoms of the disease include vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between periods or after menopause, menstrual bleeding that is heavier and longer than usual, watery, bloody vaginal discharge that may be heavy and have a foul odor and pelvic pain or pain during intercourse, according to the Mayo Clinic.