Cervical screening in Canada, 2023-24
Provincial and territorial screening guidelines
Provinces and territories recommend that cervical screening begin at age 21 or 25, continue until age 65-70, and occur every two to three years.
Cervical screening guidelines
| P/T | Age eligibility | Routine screening interval | Plans to increase cervical screening start age to 25 | Latest guideline update (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YT* | No organized screening program available | |||
| NT | 21 (or three years after the onset of intimate sexual activity, whichever occurs earlier) to 69 | |||
| NU | Annual until three consecutive negative tests, then every two years | No current plans | ||
| BC | 21 (if sexually active) to 70 with adequate negative cytology screening history in previous 10 years (i.e., three or more negative cytology tests) | Three years | No current plans | |
| AB | 25-69 | Three years | Implemented change in 2016 | |
| SK | 25-69 | Three years | Implemented change in 2016 | May 2016 |
| MB | Start at 25 years, or three years post-first sexual contact, whichever comes later | |||
| ON | 21 if sexually active^ to 70 with adequate negative screening history in previous 10 years (i.e. three or more negative tests) | Three years~ | Will formally change the age of initiation for cervical screening from 21 to 25 with the implementation of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing in the program | |
| QC** | 21-65 | Two to three years | No current plans | |
| NB‡ | 21 (or three years post-first sexual contact, whichever occurs later) to 69 with adequate negative screening history in previous 10 years or three negative tests (for participants with little/no screening history) | Annual until three consecutive negative tests, then every two to three years | Yes** | 2023 (revisions in progress) |
| NS | 25-70 | Three years | Implemented change in 2019 | |
| PE | 25-65 66 or older can discontinue screening with an adequate negative prior screening history (i.e., either two consecutive negative primary HPV tests, three negative cytology tests, or a combination of both — e.g., one HPV test and two cytology tests — completed within the last 10 years) |
Five years | Implemented HPV primary screening in May 2023 | |
| NL | 21-70 with adequate negative screening history in previous 10 years (i.e., three or more negative tests) | Annual until three consecutive negative tests, then every three years | Under consideration as program develops plan to transition to HPV primary cervical cancer screening |
*YT: Yukon will be following BC’s start age of 25 years.
^ON: Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) is encouraging PCPs to start cervical screening for patients at age 25 based on moderate quality evidence suggesting that people under age 25 do not benefit from cervical screening. The program will formally change the age of initiation for cervical screening from 21 to 25 with the implementation of HPV testing.
~ON: Immunocompromised people and people who are discharged from colposcopy with a low-grade cytology result receive annual screening.
**QC: Quebec developed a screening pathway for cervical cancer using HPV as primary test. This report also includes recommendations that might impact start and stop age, as well as screening interval.
‡NB: Plan to change initiation age to 25, with CPG revisions implementing in 2024.