Dec. 11, 2024 - Most women have stepped inside a bathroom at the doctor's office to collect a urine sample for various tests. Now, they may also be asked to do a quick vaginal swab to be screened for cervical cancer.

The self-collection method would replace the Pap test as an option for women ages 30 and older, according to new guidelines published this week by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The self-collection technology was approved by the FDA earlier this year and is already used in other parts of the world.

The test, recommended every five years for those 30 and over, looks for human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes most cases of cervical cancer. In making the new recommendation, the task force members emphasized that most cases of cervical cancer are among people who don't get regular screenings or the right treatment for precancerous conditions.