Urine screening can be as effective as Pap smear in preventing cervical cancer

LONDON: A study found that urine tests can be as effective as smears in preventing cervical cancer and could significantly increase screening rates.

The research, published in the journal BMJ Open, revealed that urine tests were as effective as cervical smears when it detected high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes cancer of the cervix. uterus.

Researchers at the University of Manchester in the UK have stated that a urine test could help increase the number of women screened for cervical cancer.

Urine tests may play a role in developing countries, where cervical cancer is up to 15 times more frequent and smear tests virtually non-existent.

About one in 20 women has abnormal changes that may eventually become cancer and is referred for colposcopy, where the cervix is ​​examined under magnification allowing abnormal areas to be seen, sampled, and treated, even before they can be seen. they do not cause cancer, the researchers explained.

According to the team, cervical smear samples, self-collected badl samples, and urine samples are all effective in detecting high-risk HPV infection.

Cervical cancer is more common in women aged 30 to 35 years. However, the precancerous stage is detectable in the past 5 to 10 years, when one-third of women do not attend their smear.

"We are very excited about this study which, in our opinion, could potentially significantly increase participation rates in cervical cancer screening in a key demographic group," said Emma Crosbie, who led l & # 39; study.

"Many young women avoid the National Health Service's (NHS) cervical cancer screening program because they find it embarrbading or uncomfortable, especially if they have gynecological conditions such as endometriosis," Crosbie said. in a statement.

Of the hundred types of HPV, some are related to cervical cancer and others, such as bad warts.

Most cervical cancers are caused by the high-risk types HPV-16 and HPV-18.

Up to 104 women from the Colposcopy Clinic of St Mary's Hospital in the United Kingdom participated in the study and were screened using two brands of test kits from the United Kingdom. HPV.

About two-thirds of women were tested positive for any type of high-risk HPV and one-third for HPV 16 or 18.

Of this total, eighteen women had pre-cancerous cervical changes requiring treatment.

With the Roche HPV Test Kit, urine, 15 auto-badl samples and cervical smears were collected.

With the Abbott HPV Screening Kit, urine collected 15 of these samples, as well as badl self-samples and 16 cervical smears.

"These results provide an exciting proof of principle that the HPV urinary test can detect precancerous cervical cells, but we must test it on a larger number of women before we can use it in the NHS. it will happen soon, "said Crosbie.