Studies: HPV Test May
Beat Pap Test At
Detecting Risky Cervical
Cells, But It May Take
Time
Human papillomavirus (HPV)
tests may be better than
the Pap test at
predicting abnormal
cervical cells that
could lead to cervical
cancer, new research
shows.
HPV is a common,
sexually transmitted
virus. Several types of
HPV make cervical cancer
more likely. But in most
women, HPV infection
doesn't last long and
doesn't lead to cervical
cancer.
Now, two new studies
suggest that if a woman
tests positive for HPV -
especially if she's
younger than 35 - it
might be appropriate for
her to wait a year to
see if her HPV infection
clears up before she
gets more cervical
cancer tests.
The first study included
more than 49,000 women
in Italy. They either
got an HPV test or a Pap
test.
The second study,
conducted in Costa Rica,
confirms that HPV
infections often clear
up, and that persistent
HPV infections are
riskier.
HPV tests aren't
intended to replace the
Pap test or to screen
women younger than 30
who have normal Pap
tests, according to the
FDA.
Among women aged 35-60,
HPV testing was more
sensitive than the Pap
test at predicting which
women developed
precancerous cervical
cells.
But HPV infection is
more common in younger
women. And in the
Italian study, women
aged 25-34 who tested
positive for HPV often
had fleeting HPV
infections that didn't
lead to abnormal
cervical cells.
The researchers suggest
that women younger than
35 who test positive for
HPV get another HPV test
a year later, and only
get further cervical
cancer screening if they
still have HPV. |
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