Screen for HPV

It’s recommended that you take this test if you’re a woman over 30 years old and want to understand your potential risk for cervical cancer. Frequency of testing can depend on your medical history (such as abnormal Pap results or cervical cancer in the past) but generally speaking, HPV testing is typically performed every 5 years. If you are unsure when testing may be right for you, we encourage you to follow up with your healthcare provider.

According to the CDC, 14 million people are newly infected with HPV each year, and nearly 12,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer. HPV can clear on its own, which is why testing is not recommended for women under the age of 21. The time it takes for an HPV infection to develop into cervical cancer is about 15-20 years for women with normal immune systems, and the risk of developing cervical cancer under the age of 21 is rare. However, women over the age of 30 with a high-risk HPV infection are at an increased risk of developing cervical cancer.

Learn more: How to test for HPV

In the United States, cervical cancer screening is known to reduce the cervical cancer rate among women. In fact, cervical cancer cases have been declining since 1975 due to the Pap test, and screening with HPV high-risk tests (like the HPV DNA test or HPV mRNA test) further supported this downward trend when it became a recommended screening option by public health organizations in 2003. The Pap test and screening tests for high-risk, genital HPV strains offer a chance to catch cervical cancer early and seek treatment.

A Pap test and an HPV test for women can both check for genital HPV strains that can cause cervical cancer. During a Pap test, also known as a Pap smear, cervical cells are collected and examined with a microscope for signs of HPV (such as the presence of abnormal cervical cells). HPV tests for women, on the other hand, detect HPV DNA (the genetic material of the virus) in a vaginal sample. Both kinds of tests are often, but not always, done at the same time during routine cervical cancer screenings.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommend that all women, even those who have had the HPV vaccine, following these screening guidelines:

• Women ages 21–29 should be screened every three years with a Pap test
• Women ages 30–65 should be screened every five years with a Pap test plus an HPV test

High-risk HPV genotypes can increase a woman's risk of forming precancerous lesions, which may progress to cervical and other types of genital cancers - like vulvar or anal - if the body is unable to clear the infection on its own. Low-risk HPV genotypes are not correlated with a risk of cervical cancer but are known to cause genital warts. If you suspect you have genital warts, please see your healthcare provider for treatment.

Although this HPV test does not diagnose cervical cancer, it tests to see if you’ve been infected with high-risk genotypes of HPV which can give a more complete picture of your cervical cancer risk. This will help you and your doctor make important decisions about additional testing and future prevention.

This HPV test for females will, with greater than 99% accuracy, tell you if you are infected with a high-risk type of HPV (for 14 different genotypes) and whether or not that infection is due to HPV 16 or HPV 18/45.

In the event that your HPV test result is abnormal, an associate from our physician network will contact you directly to discuss your particular case, as well as provide information about next steps.

However, we always recommend sharing the results with your healthcare provider who may perform additional testing. Additional testing may include a Pap smear if your HPV test result showed abnormal cells.

There are more than 100 different types of human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV types, or genotypes, are grouped into two categories: low-risk and high-risk. Low-risk HPV genotypes can cause genital warts, but are not known to cause cancer. A persistent high-risk HPV infection, on the other hand, can lead to cervical cancer-or cancer of the vagina, vulva, or anus.

A Pap smear is not the same as an HPV test, although both are used as cervical cancer screening methods.

• Pap smear — In a pap smear, a sample of cells is taken from your cervix (a cervical specimen) and prepared for microscopic observation. A cytologist (an expert who specializes in microscopic examination of cells) then looks at the smear for abnormal cells that can indicate an HPV infection.
• HPV test — In an HPV test, a vaginal swab can be used instead of cervical cells. The vaginal swab is checked for HPV's genetic material using DNA or mRNA testing technology. Because the vaginal swab can be collected at home, the HPV test is a convenient screening method.

• Can you test for HPV from home? The answer is, “yes”: you can take an HPV test at home with our at-home collection kit. Just order an Everlywell HPV Test to get an easy-to-use, at-home collection kit that includes everything you need for collecting a vaginal swab and sending it to a lab for HPV testing.
• Clinics in your community, your local Planned Parenthood, and your doctor/OB-GYN may all offer Pap smear tests.

The clinical validation that was performed by the CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited laboratory who will be processing your sample included a correlation study between the standard of care (cervical swab used for Pap tests) and the at-home collection device (vaginal swab used for HPV testing). These were both run on the same HPV assay and results showed 100% agreement between the different collection methods (n=40). This included positive and negative high-risk HPV screens, as well as confirmations for HPV 16 or HPV 18/45. In other words, the study showed that a vaginal swab for detection of HPV is just as effective as a cervical swab used for Pap smears.

While this test cannot provide a complete picture of your cervical cancer risk, it allows you to screen for HPV in the comfort of your own home so that you and your doctor can make immediate decisions about your health if results are positive. This screening test does not diagnose cervical cancer. Women should have routine cervical cancer screenings and gynecological exams to look for signs of precancerous changes of the cervix and genital skin that could lead to cancer if not treated.

There are more than 100 strains of HPV, and not all forms of HPV can be harmful. It’s not uncommon for an HPV infection to clear on its own without medical treatment, but we always recommend sharing the results with your doctor who can discuss next steps.

HPV is very common, and anyone who has ever had genital contact with another person (even with protection) can be HPV-positive. Both men and women can get HPV and can pass it to partners without knowing; however, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved a test for HPV in men.