The human papilloma virus cell is responsible for almost all types of cervical cancer
Cervical cancer ranks fourth among the deadliest cancers among women around the world. In this sense, a new study suggests that the Pap smear fails to detect the first signs of cervical cancer associated with the human papillomavirus.
On this, the results seem to indicate that the detection of infection This virus surpasses the aforementioned test.
Specifically, Pap smears are the most common way that doctors use cervical cancer, however, after a large clinical trial with Canadian women. It has been observed that these tests usually omit the signs of abnormal cell growth in the cervix of the uterus.
In this regard, it was observed that after four years, 5.5 new cases of women with precancerous cervical cells severely abnormal per 1,000 were found. Patients who have had a Pap test, compared to 2.3 cases per 1,000 women who have been screened
On this subject, L. Stewart Massad, oncologist specializing in gynecology at the School of Medicine of the 39, University of Washington at St. Louis, says:
"We should give up Pap smear and focus more on screening with screening tests for human papillomavirus infection." [19659008] This is not new, as previous studies have found that human papillomavirus screening tests more effectively detect the presence of abnormal cells in the cervix before they reach the body. do not become cancer cells.
Thus, in 2009, a survey reported fewer cases of cervical cancer, in addition to a lower mortality rate. women in India who had previously been evaluated for the papillomavirus; In this way, the use of HPV testing in poor countries is encouraged, where early diagnosis methods are not very common.
To complete this, new research suggests that HPV testing may increase the rates of early diagnosis in countries with well-established prevention programs, such as the United States.
Early detection of human papillomavirus
The Pap smear is taken from the cervix of the uterus.
It is important to note that HPV is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection in the United States and that it is responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer. ;uterus. To avoid this, doctors usually check for the presence of this infection in the cells taken from the cervix and, if they are positive, they explore this structure in depth to look for abnormal cells.
Thus, by means of the Papanicolaou test The cells of the cervix of the uterus are scraped and their growth is examined, but the test often neglects the first signs of cancer. It should be noted that since the 1950s, when early detection initiatives were initiated, the number of new cases and the mortality associated with the disease have decreased significantly.
Around this, the new study suggests that detection could be performed even in the early stages of the disease. In particular, after testing 8,000 women for the human papillomavirus and another 8,000 for Pap smear, it was found that four years later, in women who tested negative for HPV, three have been discovered. In contrast, of the 8,000 women who achieved favorable Pap test results four years later, they found 25 more cases of abnormal cells in the cervix of the uterus.
In conclusion, the researchers recommend the implementation of changes in early detection methods, the prioritization of HPV screening, as well as better educational strategies for physicians and patients, which, based on experiences past, will bring better results to defeat cancer. Cervical refers.
Reference: Effect of Primary Cervical HPV Screening Versus Cytology Tests on High-Grade Intraepithelial Cervical Neoplasia at 48 Months, (2018). https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2018.7464
