American women can now do their own Pap test in the privacy of a bathroom and without the supervision of a gynecologist, making testing much more convenient.
The FDA has approved at-home swabs, which allow the patient to perform their own test at a “pop-up” pharmacy or clinic and return it to the healthcare professional for analysis.
The tests, which take less than 30 seconds to perform, look for the human papillomavirus (HPV), an infection that is usually transmitted sexually and is responsible for 95 percent of cervical cancers.
Previously, women had to visit their gynecologist for a short procedure to have a sample taken, which many found uncomfortable and inconvenient.
The NIH aims to have 84 percent of American women screened for cervical cancer annually to reach its goal of 2,030 healthy people. In 2021, only 72 percent of women were up to date with their Pap tests.
Human papillomavirus is an STD that can cause cells in the vagina to mutate. In some cases, this leads to the development of cervical cancer. Doctors say it’s essential to get tested, through a Pap smear, regularly.
The innovation is expected to make life-saving screening tests more accessible and less painful for women.
“It’s about reaching women who traditionally haven’t been reached,” said Dr. Jeff Andrews, a gynecologist and president of BD Medical Affairs, one of the companies behind one of the approved tests. he told USA Today.
For now, these tests are only approved for use in doctors’ offices, pharmacies or mobile clinics.
But the pharmaceutical companies behind the two approved tests plan to make an at-home version in the future.
Home tests have already been approved in Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and other European countries.
Previously, a Pap test was only performed by a gynecologist and looked for abnormal changes in cells that indicated cancer.
Some doctors also perform HPV screening, as it has been shown to be an extremely accurate indication of cervical cancer risk.
The test is performed by placing a long brush and a flat spatula in the woman’s vagina, near the cervix, and brushing the instrument to collect cells.
This is uncomfortable for most women, but can also be painful for others with a tilted cervix, according to Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.
If the cells are abnormal or their HPV test is positive, they are invited to return for further testing.
But a third of American women were due for a Pap test in 2021, the latest data shows.
The NIH blames this mainly due to a lack of education about how often testing is needed: almost half of women reported that they did not know they needed testing.
Each year, about 11,500 American women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 4,000 die from the disease.
According to the CDC, regular Pap tests could prevent the development of about 93 percent of these cancers.
But home tests only look for HPV. Multiple international studies have found that HPV testing is as effective in preventing cervical cancer as regular Pap tests.
A 2021 UK study on at-home HPV testing found that 99 percent of 19,000 women were able to self-swab effectively.
This makes self-testing a “game changer for cervical screening.” Dr. Anita Limsaid an epidemiologist at King’s College London.
After a doctor or technician gives the patient a DIY test, they go to the bathroom, insert the long swab-like instrument into her vagina and twist it three times.
You then take the test to your doctor or pharmacist, who sends it for analysis.
“This literally opens up another option for a different demographic of people who may not feel comfortable, who may not have access (and) may not have time,” to get tested Irene O. Aninye, scientific director of the Society for Women. health research, told the Washington Post.
Traditionally, a doctor performs a Pap test using a long brush or cotton swab and a flat, dull spatula. These new tests are designed for personal use.
If your doctor finds HPV, you will be called for another test to look for abnormal or mutated cells that could become cancer if left untreated.
If abnormal cells are detected, patients are sent for mild procedures to kill them, either by cutting or burning them.
Or, if the changes are considered low risk, doctors may choose to follow up.
‘The goal with other cancers is early detection and treatment. The goal with cervical cancer is to find precancerous cells, treat them, and never have cancer,” Dr. Andrews said.
HPV is incredibly common: About eight in 10 women contract the virus at some point in their lives, said Dr. Konstantin Zakashansky, a gynecologic oncologist at Mount Sinai Hospital said.
But only two of the 40 strains of genital HPV are likely to develop into cancer, representing about 10 percent of women who get HPV. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Crucially, Dr. Anne-Marie Amies Oelschlager, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington and president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, he told USA TodayThe new tests will not replace the role of your gynecologist.
Instead, “these tests are a way to determine who needs additional testing and who can safely wait before repeat testing.”