Table 1.

Comparison of ACS 2020, USPSTF 2018, and ACOG 2016 screening guidelines

Guideline Author	American Cancer Society (ACS) 2020	US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) 2018	American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 2016
Age to start screening	25	21	21
Age to end screening	65a	65a	65a
Screening test options	HPV primary screening preferred for all ages; co-testing and cytology (Pap test) acceptable during transition	Cytology (Pap test) ages 21–29; HPV primary screening, co-testing, and cytology all equally acceptable ages 30–65	Cytology (Pap test) ages 21–29; HPV primary screening, co-testing, and cytology all equally acceptable ages 30–65; HPV primary screening every 3 y for ages 25–65 can be considered
Testing interval	5 y	3 y for cytology (Pap test); 5 y for HPV primary screening and co-testing	3 y for cytology (Pap test); 5 y for co-testing; 3 y for HPV primary screening
Individuals who have undergone hysterectomy with removal of the cervix for benign indications	Do not screen	Do not screen	Do not screen
Exclusions from screening guidelines	Screening guidelines do not apply to individuals with a history of cervical cancer or pre-cancer, DES in utero exposure, or immunocompromised, including HIV infection, as more frequent testing is typically recommended.

^aCriteria to end screening: 3 consecutive negative cytologies (Pap tests) or 2 negative screening HPV or co-tests within the past 10 y, without abnormal results during that time, with the most recent within the past 5 y and no history of pre-cancer (defined as CIN2 or higher) within the past 25 y.