Abstract 

Background: Cervical cancer is a major health concern worldwide. Cancer screenings for secondary prevention aim at reducing morbidity and mortality among women. Objective The guideline provides both an updated and an extended overview for the prevention of cervical cancer by screening and therapy.

Method: The World Health Organization (WHO) developed this guideline in accordance with WHO standards. The respective executive summary was translated by a team of Austria's WHO Collaborating Centre.

Results: The updated and extended guideline contains 23 recommendations and seven good practice statements which address screening methods, test regimens, age groups, screening intervals and other topics. Target populations are adult females without known risk factors (general population) and women living with HIV. It is recommended that women from the general population undergo screening every five to ten years, starting at the age of 30. Women living with HIV are advised to get screened every three to five years, starting at the age of 25. Preferred primary screening tests are HPV DNA tests which may be supplemented with further tests in order to triage for further interventions.