Can papilloma virus testing be used to improve cervical cancer screening?

✍ Scribed by David Jenkins; Chris Sherlaw-Johnson; Steve Gallivan

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: French
• Weight: 650 KB
• Volume: 65
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0020-7136
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(19960315)65:6<768::aid-ijc10>3.0.co;2-0

✦ Synopsis

This report investigates different options for using human papillomavirus (HPV) testing in cervical cancer prevention. These options are evaluated by a stochastic model of the progression of pre-malignancy and its relationship to HPV infection. Three screening policies are compared: 2 based on cytological screening, with or without HPV testing, and I in which HPV testing is the primary screening method. A policy of HPV testing for women with mildly abnormal smears would have little effect on the overall incidence of invasive cancer when compared with a policy of repeat cytology, provided follow-up is efficient. Moreover, the potential value of HPV testing as a primary screening method is strongly dependent on the proportion of neoplasias that are HPV-negative. Important factors in assessing the future role of HPV testing would be cost-effectiveness and benefits from improved compliance.