Primary screening for HPV could eradicate uterine cervix cancer – doctors

Irish doctors believe that cervical cancer can be eradicated here in a generation if we move to primary HPV screening in women and to vaccination.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is directly related to cervical cancers and testing for its presence before examining the cellular structures taken in the smears would have dramatic effects on the treatment of the disease, they say.

An event organized by the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) on Tuesday found that 20% more precancerous abnormalities would be detected and a 30% reduction in cases and related deaths.

Liquid cytology smear tests to check for abnormalities, followed by HPV testing.

The Health and Quality Information Authority (Hiqa) recommended switching to primary HPV testing in a report last year.

This is expected to improve the detection rate of pre-cancers, including some that smear tests do not resume.

However, even if the change in approach is championed by cancer specialists, it presents significant challenges and will require financial investments and training.

HPV, transmitted by badual activity, is widespread in the general population. large majority of cases, harmless.

Potential Cancers

Screening for the presence of women would therefore lead to a much higher number of potential cancers – an approach that could increase anxiety in patients and bring at least a first peak in need follow-up tests.

The ICS emphasized that its introduction would require a complementary information campaign on its benefits and limitations.

At Tuesday's event, Professor Ian Frazer, whose work helped develop the HPV vaccine, said, "I can speak in one sentence because I can say that cervical cancer of the uterus is due to the virus … we have an effective vaccine. "

If the entire population of the world was immune, he said, cancer of the cervix of the uterus would disappear in a lifetime . However, it must be accompanied by screening because a very small cohort of people will not respond to the vaccine.

A vaccination program in Australia, where Professor Frazer works, has reduced 95 per cent of new HPV infections among this age group. Boys are also vaccinated because of other conditions related to HPV.

The Department of Health said that Health Minister Simon Harris was committed to introducing the primary HPV test later this year. "He has ensured that additional resources are deployed to work intensively on this," he added.