Starting on January 1, 2025, the recommended screening for cervical cancer will shift from a 3-yearly cytological examination to a primary HPV test conducted every 5 years, for persons aged between 30 and 64. This decision is based on available scientific evidence and was taken in collaboration with the respective professional groups and with the federated entities responsible for organised cancer screening. Everyone involved, healthcare professionals as wel as citizens, can find further clinical guidance on the new screening algorithms and therapeutic follow-up here.
Citizens Healthcare professionals
What will change for the target population?
Persons between 30 and 64 years old will still receive a gynaecological examination and sample taking as before, but every five years and no longer every three years. Collection of the cervicovaginal sample is done at the GP or gynaecologist’s office.
What will change for physicians?
GPs and gynaecologists can use an additional nomenclature code for swab collection in symptomatic or high-risk groups, in addition to the two existing codes for screening and follow-up. For this, the prescribing physician should provide a notification form to the insured’s health insurance fund.
What will change for laboratories?
The HPV test can be performed in clinical biology and pathological anatomy laboratories, after accreditation of a validated HPV test from the NRC-HPV list. Registration of results with the Belgian Cancer Registry (BCR) is required for all cervical samples. Moreover, an integrated advice should be formulated after a positive primary screening result with the result of the reflex triage test.
Read the complete Clinical Guidance
- Our collaborative partners
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Agence wallonne pour une Vie de Qualité (AVIQ)
Belgian Cancer Registry (BCR)
BRUPREV (l’asbl chargée d’organiser le dépistage et la prévention des cancers en Région Bruxelloise)
Centre de Coordination et de Référence pour le dépistage des cancers – Wallonie (CCRef)
Centrum voor Kankeropsporing vzw (CvKO vzw)
Collège Royal des Gynécologues Obstétriciens de Langue Française de Belgique (CRGOLFB)
Commissie Klinische Biologie / Commission de Biologie Clinique
Commissie Pathologische Anatomie / Commission Anatomie Pathologique
Departement Zorg
Domus Medica
FOD Volksgezondheid, Veiligheid van de Voedselketen en Leefmilieu / SPF Santé Publique, Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire et Environnement
Ministère de la Communauté germanophone, Département Santé et Personnes âgées
Office de la naissance et de l’enfance – Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (ONE)
Promo Santé & Médecine Générale (PSMG)
Rijksinstituut voor ziekte- en invaliditeitsverzekering (RIZIV) / Institut national d’assurance maladie-invalidité (INAMI)
Sciensano — Kankercentrum / Centre du cancer
Sciensano — Nationaal Referentiecentrum voor Humaan papillomavirus (NRC-HPV) / Centre National de Référence du Papillomavirus humain (CNR-HPV)
Société Scientifique de Médecine Générale (SSMG)
Vivalis Brussels
Vlaamse Vereniging voor Obstetrie en Gynaecologie (VVOG)