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And having a Pap smear every two years offers the best chance of preventing cervical cancer.

The Pap smear is a screening test, not a diagnostic test. This means that women without any symptoms are tested at regular intervals (every two years) to check for changes in the cells of the cervix.

If changes are found early, they can be monitored by more frequent Pap smears. If needed, changes can be further investigated (diagnosed) and treated well before cancer develops.

The biggest risk factor for cervical cancer is not having a Pap smear every two years.

Strong medical evidence that screening works!

Since the National Cervical Screening Program started, on average, deaths from cervical cancer have been declining by 5.7% each year. Cervical cancer has fallen from the 8th to the 18th most common cause of cancer death in Australian women during this time. The important thing about screening is to make it a regular part of your life and to continue to screen routinely until you are 70 years old.

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