Cervical cancer controversy

NORFOLK, vA - The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ACOG, says women under 21 don't need a Pap test , and those in their 20s only need one every two years. Earlier this week, the US Preventative Task Force said most women in their 40s don't need Mammograms.

While the groups say the timing of these announcements is coincidental, many women are now confused and say when it comes to healthcare, they feel they're being thrown under the bus.

Cherly Taylor wants nothing more than to get out of her hospital room telling WAVY.com,
"I need a Grandkid fix."

They are the reason she fights so hard against the cervical cancer that first snuck up on her ten years ago.  "Grandma is missing them so much right now," said Taylor.

If not for annual Pap tests she may never have met them. That's why she can't understand ACOG's new recommendations.

Dr. Jeffrey Wentworth with the Group for Women tried to explain, "Cervical disease is a very slow moving process, generally it takes 10 to 20 years for cervical cancer to proceed, so we have that time."

Dr. Wentworth says Human Papiloma Virus, HPV, causes most cervical cancer. HPV infection is very high in sexually active teens, but doctors have discovered the vast majority don't lead to cancer in woman under 21 and he says the screenings can lead to unnecessary treatments.

"There's some information to say that if we do those procedures it can affect childbearing in the future."

But without them other doctors argue some women may not have a future at all.

"Right now we're doing a major, major operation for someone age 27 with recurrent cervical cancer who may die," Dr. Robert Squatrito told us.

Dr. Squatrito, with Virginia Oncology, specializes in Gynecologic Cancers. "From my point of view, would it make sense to stop screening women below age 21?  Absolutely not,  and I wonder what the motivation is to make these recommendations.  My suspicion is it may be related to cost containment."

Dr. Wentworth affirmed it will save money, but is it the motivating factor? "I don't know, I want to think that it's not, and I guess in the upcoming years we'll know."

Cherly Taylor says she already knows, "I would've missed a lot, an awful lot you know."

Dr. Wentworth reminds women that even if they no longer get a yearly Pap test, they still need to see their doctor every year.