According to the Singapore Cancer Registry Annual Report 2020, cervical cancer is the tenth most frequently occurring cancer among the female resident population in Singapore. Despite this, the incident and mortality rates of cervical cancer in Singaporean women have been decreasing over the years likely due to the increased awareness of cervical cancer screening and vaccination against HPV or human papillomavirus, a major risk factor for cervical cancer.
Who Should Do Cervical Cancer Screening In Singapore
Cervical cancer is most common in women over the age of 30. The MOH guidelines for cervical cancer screening are as follows:
| Age to Start Screening | 25 Years Old for all women who have ever had sexual intercourse. |
| Age to Stop Screening | 69 Years Old if the pap smear taken at 69 years is negative and had 2 previous negative smears within the last 10 years. |
Pap smear screening should be performed at least once every 3 years and does not apply to women with previous abnormal pap smears who are on follow-up with a gynecologist.
How Screening Is Done
There are several cervical cancer screening options in Singapore, some of them are pap smear, HPV test, and Thinprep pap test.
The pap smear fulfills the World Health Organization’s criteria for an effective screening test. It involves the collection of sample cells from the cervix. These cells are then examined at the laboratory for any indication of cervical cancer or precancerous cells. Pap smear is recommended for women between 25-29 years old and tests should be repeated every 3 years for those with normal results.
The HPV test, on the other hand, is recommended for women about 30 years of age and should be done every 5 years if the test results are normal. It involves checking for HPV or human papillomavirus and involves the collection of cells like pap smear. HPV tests are often done in conjunction with a pap smear, and the two tests together are referred to as co-testing.
Another screening test for cervical cancer is the Thinprep pap test that also involves the collection of cervical cells. These cells are then suspended in a vial of preservative fluid. Thinprep pap test samples are less likely to have blood or mucus, which helps improve the accuracy of the results.
Where To Get Cervical Cancer Screening In Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand
Health365 in partnership with medical providers in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand offers health screening packages that include pap smear or Thinprep pap test for cervical cancer screening. Discover your available options now.
Read Further On Cervical Cancer
Protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases with regular health screening. Compare and shop for health screenings from Singapore and regional healthcare providers at a single convenient platform - shop.health365.sg
This article is informative only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.
