The American Cancer Society recommended self-swab HPV tests as a new option for cervical cancer screening. These HPV test kits allow women to collect the sample themselves at home, and then mail it to the lab. This alternative offers people an alternative to visiting a doctor’s office to get tested.
The at-home test provides choice which some women may find more convenient and less stressful than other options. Physicians hope that this will lead to more woman getting screened regularly as recommended. “Screening for HPV is screening for cervical cancer,” said Jane Montealegre, an associate professor of behavioral science at the The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. “This gives more options to women.”
HPV, short for human papillomavirus, causes the vast majority of cervical cancer cases in the US. Cervical cancer rates have declined for decades due the HPV vaccine as well as screening. Despite this progress, more than 1 in 5 women are not up to date on their screening.
“Despite clear recommendations on the importance of women being up to date with screening up to 65, very few women are,” said Robert Smith, an epidemiologist and senior vice president for early cancer detection at the American Cancer Society. “It’s important for women to understand that there is a record they will want to have by the time they are 65 that will basically tell them it’s safe to stop screening for cervical cancer”.
Full Story: HealthDay
