MIRAMAR, Fla. – A new study is highlighting the need for HPV screening in some older women.
Fertility specialist Dr. Trisha Shah with Conceptions Florida said it’s well known that HPV, or human papilloma virus, increases the risk of cervical cancer.
The test is currently recommended for women between the ages of 21 to 65, but Shah said research has indicated a reason for extending that in some cases with so-called ‘catch up’ testing.
“This idea of a catch-up test is looking specifically at a population of women that are older than 65 who have had inadequate screening during the ages of 40 to 54. and so, the idea of this catch up is since they’ve missed screening. We catch them up past our typical guidelines to see if we can detect pre-cancerous lesions and try to prevent cervical cancer from forming,” Shah said.
Shah said controversy remains on whether and how these women should be offered a catch-up HPV Test to prevent cancer at older ages.
WEIGHT LOSS MAY POSE NEW RISK
Two of the most popular weight loss and diabetes drugs are increasing in cost and insurance coverage is changing which amid more reports of side effects.
Doctors are seeing some cases of stomach paralysis in patients who are using Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.
Stomach paralysis can lead to excessive vomiting.
The FDA has received similar reports but has been unable to determine if the medications, or a separate issue, were the cause of the symptoms.