A recent study cautions that close to 20% of cervical cancer diagnoses occurred among females aged 65 and above. The majority of these cases were identified in advanced stages, contradicting the present health recommendations that advocate for the cessation of screening in this age group.
Review of current guidelines necessary for timely cancer detection
When compared to younger women, roughly 71% of those aged 65 and above had a late-stage cervical cancer diagnosis, as opposed to 48%. Consequently, the findings imply that a review of current guidelines is necessary to enable the timely detection of cervical cancer, which is more manageable in its early stages.
In a statement, Julianne Cooley, a senior statistician at the University of California, Davis and lead author, emphasized the necessity to comprehend the insufficiencies of the present screening guidelines for women aged 65 and above, as indicated by their discoveries.
Current guidelines suggest that older women with a history of normal Pap or Human Papillomavirus (HPV) tests should stop regular screening. According to Cooley, it’s important to focus on their past screening history and identify any follow-up care relapses. For those approaching 65 or requiring catch-up on their cervical cancer screenings, non-invasive testing methods should be used.
Late detection of cancer makes it harder to cure, as it often spreads to other body parts. Solder women have a lower five-year survival rate than younger people when diagnosed with late-stage cervical cancer. The age group with the lowest survival chances is women over 80.
Additional health comorbidities increase the risk of late-stage ailments
According to the study findings, certain correlations were observed. If elderly females exhibited additional health comorbidities, they were more inclined to suffer from late-stage ailments. Furthermore, Latinas of advanced age were less prone to being diagnosed in contrast to Caucasian women who were not of Hispanic origin. Additionally, Cooley mentions that earlier research on young females discovered a surge in late-stage cervical cancer diagnoses among Hispanic/Latina and Black women.
Failure to adhere to screening guidelines during their younger years may be a factor that could be adding to the surge in cases among elderly women.
