Cervical cancer screening should be performed on which age range?

• A. Screen women aged 21 to 65 years
• B. Screen women aged 18 to 65 years
• C. Screen women aged 25 to 70 years
• D. Screen only women aged 65 and older if at risk

Answer: (A)

Screening is recommended for women from 21 up to 65 years to balance the benefits of finding precancerous changes early against harms from screening in younger ages. The rationale is that starting too young leads to unnecessary testing for transient HPV infections or cervical changes that often resolve, while stopping at 65 is appropriate for those who have had adequate prior screening and no high-risk factors. In this age range, the screening method can be Pap smear alone every 3 years for those 21–29, and either Pap alone every 3 years or a combination of Pap with HPV testing every 5 years for those 30–65. Options that start screening before 21, extend beyond 65, or imply screening only after 65 do not align with this recommended range.