Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers – screening could save your life. Women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 74 are invited to have a cervical screening test every five years through their healthcare provider, instead of a Pap smear test every two years.
Since Australia's National Cervical Screening Program was introduced in 1991, the rate of cervical cancer cases and deaths in Australian women has halved. The cervical screening test was then changed on 1 December 2017 to improve early detection and save more lives.
All women and people with a cervix aged between 25 and 74 are invited to have a cervical screening test every five years, instead of a Pap smear every two years. The test checks for instances of HPV (the virus that causes most cervical cancers). It is more effective than, and just as safe as, screening with a Pap test every two years.
The renewed program is expected to reduce cervical cancer rates and deaths by at least another 20%.
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. Almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV (human papillomavirus).
You are eligible for a subsidised cervical screening test if you are
It is recommended that you have a cervical screening test every five years, even if you have had the HPV vaccine.
The body can get rid of most HPV infections naturally but if it doesn’t, some types of HPV can cause changes to the cells of your cervix. If these cell changes are not picked up early and treated, they can turn into cervical cancer.
By encouraging more people to get screened, we continue to reduce the number of cervical cancer deaths.
HPV stands for human papillomavirus - a very common infection that usually shows no obvious symptoms.
HPV is passed by sexual contact and can infect both men and women. It can also cause other, less common cancers in men and women, like anal, vulvar, vaginal, mouth/throat, and penile cancers.
In Australia, we have an HPV vaccine (Gardasil) program. All Australian children aged 12 to 13 are offered the free HPV vaccine through school-based programs.
The vaccine is free for everyone aged 12-25 under the National Immunisation Program, helping reduce the risk of cervical cancer in our younger generations.
All women aged 25-74 should have a cervical screening test every five years, even if they have had the HPV vaccination. While the HPV vaccine protects against some types of HPV, it doesn't protect against them all, and no vaccine is 100% effective. The HPV vaccine also would not have treated any existing HPV infections.
With a cervical screening test and the HPV vaccination program, our chances of preventing and finding cervical cancer are even better. Australia has committed to achieving equitable elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2035.
The test, done every five years, is simple and checks for signs of HPV – a common infection that causes almost all cervical cancers. When booking your appointment for an in-person test, you can specify if you’d prefer a woman to take your test, need an interpreter, and clarify costs.
Your appointment will take place in a private room by a healthcare provider. Don’t hesitate to raise any queries or concerns.
You can choose how your screening test is done, by either:
Both options are accurate and safe – you can speak to your GP to help decide which option is best for you.
Once the test is complete, your sample will be submitted to a lab for testing and to the National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) for your cancer screening record. The NCSR will send you a letter when it's time for your next screening.
You can get a cervical screening test at many health clinics or services, including:
Your healthcare provider will inform you of your results when they are sent back from the lab. For most, results will confirm that no HPV was found in your sample, and you’ll be advised to retest again in five years.
For clinician-collected samples that show a presence of a standard type of HPV, your healthcare provider will advise you to do the test again in one year to check if it is still present. If it is, you will be advised to do the test again in a further year. If your HPV has cleared up after one year you will be advised to do another screening test in five years.
For self-collected samples that show a presence of HPV, your healthcare provider will need to collect another sample for further testing and discuss next steps.
