The high number of cases among women over the age of 65

“With appropriate screening and follow-up, cervical cancer can be prevented or detected at an earlier stage, which is associated with a greater chance of survival. Current recommendations call for discontinuation of screening in women over the age of 65 with a history of normal cervical cancer. and/or HPV tests, which may put adults in this age group at risk.”scientists from the University of California, Davis, wrote in a work published in the journal Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers and prevention.

71% of older women have advanced cervical cancer

As part of this research, they looked at data from the California Cancer Registry. They identified 12,442 people over the age of 21 who were diagnosed with cervical cancer for the first time between 2009 and 2018. According to their analysis, one in five new cancers diagnosed during this period involved patients aged 65 and over. These women were more likely (71%) to have the disease at an advanced stage than younger women (48%). According to the results, the chances of survival for five years at an advanced stage were lower in older women.

Triage: Recommendations “may not satisfy women over 65”

After conducting this study, the authors questioned the recommendations for elderly patients. “Our findings underscore the need for a better understanding of how current screening recommendations for women aged 65 and over are unsatisfactory. We need to identify the screening history of older women as well as the gaps in follow-up care. We need to use non-invasive screening methods for women who are are approaching the age of 65 or who need cervical cancer screening reimbursement,” Julian Cooley, lead author of the work, said: statement.