A nurse is teaching a 45-year-old woman about cervical cancer screening. Which schedule is currently recommended?

CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING GUIDELINES (USPSTF/ASCCP): Ages 21-29: Pap smear (cytology) alone every 3 years; HPV testing not recommended in this age group (HPV is common and usually clears spontaneously in younger women); Ages 30-65:

Option 1: Pap smear every 3 years.

Option 2: Pap + HPV co-test every 5 years (preferred — most sensitive).

Option 3: HPV test alone every 5 years (FDA-approved primary screening); Under 21: Do NOT screen regardless of sexual history initiation (normal HPV clearance; colposcopy for abnormal results is harmful in this age group); Over 65: Can discontinue if 3 consecutive negative cytologies or 2 consecutive negative co-tests in past 10 years with last test within 5 years AND no history of CIN2+ or cervical cancer.

Nursing role: Correct common misconception that annual Pap smears are needed; explain that longer intervals reflect evidence-based guidelines, not reduced care quality.