Virus testing could prevent hundreds of cancers

Friday June 14th, 2013

Testing for viruses rather than taking smears would save hundreds of women from the misery of cervical cancer, it is claimed today.

A new study suggests the technique could prevent as many as 600 cases of the disease annually.

Researchers have been analysing the benefits of testing for the human papillomavirus, which lies behind most cases of cervical cancer.

Teenage girls are already being offered a programme of vaccination against infection with the virus.

The new study suggests the first test women under should look for this virus.

The research, conducted at Queen Mary, University of London, UK, was being reported to the conference of the National Cancer Intelligence Network in Brighton, UK.

The researchers looked at the recorded of some 8,750 women diagnosed with cervical cancer and found that as many as 40% had been cleared by a smear test in the six years before diagnosis.

They say that 95% of these women would have been identified through virus testing.

Researcher Professor Peter Sasieni said: “Cervical cancer screening is already hugely effective but our study shows how much better it could be by swapping to primary HPV testing.

"Not only would introducing primary HPV testing prevent more cases of cancer, it would also mean women who tested negative wouldn’t need to be checked as often.”

Hazel Nunn, of Cancer Research UK, which backed the research, said the idea was already being piloted in parts of England.

She said: "Although we already have a very effective cervical cancer screening programme, this study suggests that we could do even better if primary HPV testing was introduced here in the UK."

Castanon A et al. How much could primary human papillomavirus testing reduce cervical cancer incidence and morbidity? Journal of Medical Screening 14 June 2013

Tags: Cancer | Flu & Viruses | UK News | Women's Health & Gynaecology

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