Testing menstrual blood for HPV could be alternative to smear test, study finds
Scientists find ‘less invasive’ smear test alternative for diagnosing HPV
- Researchers have suggested that testing period blood for human papillomavirus (HPV) could be a robust alternative or replacement for traditional smear test.
- A study in China found that a special sanitary pad designed to collect menstrual blood samples detected HPV with a sensitivity of 94.7 per cent for cervical cell abnormalities, comparable to clinician-collected samples.
- This non-invasive method could address barriers to cervical screening, such as fear of pain, privacy concerns, and stigma, which prevent many women from attending appointments.
- Experts from Cancer Research UK and the Eve Appeal have welcomed the findings, highlighting the potential for increased accessibility and choice in cervical cancer screening.
- The study authors recommend integrating menstrual blood-based HPV testing into national cervical cancer screening guidelines, though they note these are observational findings.
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