New cervical cancer recommendations

For the second time this week, women are hearing new recommendations on cancer screening -- this time, for cervical cancer.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now say annual pap tests are unnecessary for most women. Tampa General Gynecologists Joan McCarthy says it makes sense.

"Cervical cancer progresses extremely slowly," Dr. McCarthy said. "So, if it's going to be there, we have years and years, even if we're doing pap smears every other year, we have many many years to catch it before it's actually cervical cancer to catch it early and treat it."

The new recommendations say women in their 20s only need to be screened every two years and after that every three years.

"Screening them too much is not necessarily a good thing. It leads to treatment that is not necessarily necessary," said McCarthy.

Seventeen-year-old Stephanie Smallwood came to the doctor for a pap test, but didn't have one because the new guidelines say women don't need to until the age of 21.

"A lot of girls could have hereditary things wrong like cervical cancer or STD, anything if the recommended age is 21 they could get that much younger than 21," Smallwood said.

HPV is a common STD among girls and young women, but the abnormalities the virus can cause on pap exams usually correct themselves. And cervical cancer is extremely rare in that age group.

There's concern among some doctors that these new guidelines will keep some women from going to the gynecologist at all. But FOX 13 Medical Reporter Dr Joette Giovinco says it's still important women have regular check-ups.

"That's going to include other things like checking your blood pressure, checking your urine, your blood. So there's other things that will take place at that visit besides the pap test," she said.

Some wonder whether the changes in cervical and breast cancer screenings have more to do with money and politics, than science. While McCarthy questions this week's mammography recommendation, she says spending must be strategic.

"There's only so many dollars around. Health care is very expensive. We have to eliminate waste," she said.

Dr. Jo says most likely, these new guidelines are going to stick and will be what insurance companies follow.