Cervical cancer can often be found early, and sometimes even prevented entirely, by having regular Pap smear and human papillomavirus (HPV) screenings. If detected early, cervical cancer is one of the most successfully treated cancers.

 

A Pap test, also called a Pap smear, checks for the presence of precancerous or cancerous cells on the cervix, the opening of the uterus. Sometimes you will get an HPV test at the same time as your Pap test. An HPV test may find some types of the virus that can cause cervical cancer. It looks for some high-risk types of HPV, including types 16 and 18, which cause most cases of cervical cancer. 

 

Talk with your provider about which tests you need and how often.