HPV Testing Guidelines
Age-Specific Recommendations
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that HPV testing should not be used as a standalone test in women under 25 years or for STD screening purposes, but should be used strategically based on patient age and clinical indication 1, 2
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that women aged 25-29 years should have a Pap test alone every 3 years, and HPV testing is not recommended for primary screening in this age group 1, 2
- The American Cancer Society recommends that women aged 30-65 years should have co-testing (Pap test plus HPV DNA test) every 5 years, or primary HPV testing alone every 5 years 5, 6
Clinical Indications for HPV Testing
- The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends that HPV testing is appropriate for triage of ASC-US cytology in women aged ≥21 years 1, 7, 6, 5
- The American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology recommends that HPV testing should be used for post-treatment surveillance at least 6-12 months after excisional or ablative therapy 8, 3, 4
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that HPV testing can be used for follow-up after colposcopy with no CIN 2/3 found, and for monitoring after treatment of cervical precancers 1, 2
Special Populations
- The Infectious Diseases Society of America recommends that HIV-positive individuals should not use primary HPV testing, but should use conventional or liquid-based cytology (Pap test) as the primary screening method 1, 2
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant women should follow the same screening recommendations as non-pregnant women 5, 6
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that HPV-vaccinated women should screen using the same recommendations as unvaccinated women 5, 6