It’s a test that many women dread, but the smear test could soon be replaced by urine tests, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Manchester have revealed that urine tests may be as effective as the smear test at picking up high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) – the virus that causes cervical cancer .
Dr Emma Crosbie, who led the study, said: "We’re really very excited by this study, which we think has the potential to significantly increase participation rates for cervical cancer screening in a key demographic group.
“Many younger women avoid the NHS cervical cancer screening programme because they find it embarrassing or uncomfortable, particularly if they have gynaecological conditions like endometriosis.”
In the study, 104 women were screened using two brands of HPV testing kits.
Around two-thirds of the women tested positive for any high-risk HPV type, and a third for HPV-16 or HPV-18 – two types known to cause cervical cancers.
From the total, 18 women had pre-cancerous changes to the cervix that needed treatment.
With the first kit, called the Roche HPV testing kit, urine, vaginal self samples and cervical smears picked up 15 of these.
Meanwhile, with the other kit, called the Abbott HPV testing kit, urine picked up 15 of these and vaginal self samples and cervical smears picked up 16.
Dr Crosbie added: “These results provide exciting proof of principle that urine HPV testing can pick up cervical pre-cancer cells, but we need to trial it on a greater number of women before it can be used in the NHS. We hope that is going to happen soon.
“Urine is very simple to collect and most hospitals in the developed and developing world have access to the lab equipment to process and test the samples.
“Let us hope this is a new chapter in our fight against cervical cancer, a devastating and pernicious disease.”
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