HPV Testing
The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the underlying cause for nearly 99% of all cervical cancer cases. HPV DNA testing checks for the presence of genetic material from the virus in cells from a woman's cervix.. HPV testing involves the collection of a cervical or vaginal sample using a Q-tip like swab. The swab is then tested for the presence of HPV DNA.
HPV testing may be the most effective way to prevent cervical cancer in the developing world. Since we know that HPV causes the majority (almost 99%) of cervical cancers, HPV testing offers an efficient, safe, simple and cost-effective way to screen for cervical cancer. In the United States, Hybrid Capture II (HC2) is used to test for the presence of HPV DNA. HC2 requires a full-scale laboratory, electricity and is not portable, making it unsuitable for many low-resource settings. Another HPV test is currently being validated for use in low-resource settings. This test does not require running water, mains electricity, can be performed by a minimally trained health worker and is portable because of its relatively small size.
Because the HPV test provides results in a few hours, it is appropriate for the see-and-treat program: ideally, healthcare workers could screen women for the presence of HPV and treat them using cryotherapy in the same day. This means that fewer women will be lost to follow-up before they receive treatment. Once it is made available, BHI hopes to incorporate HPV testing into our cervical cancer prevention programs.
Not only are HPV tests more accurate and less invasive than pap tests, they may also minimize the number of lifetime screenings a woman has to undergo. Because a single pap test is not very accurate, women have to be screened repeatedly throughout their lifetime. However, studies suggest that testing women for the presence of HPV at age 35 and again at 40 could virtually eliminate the need for pap tests in the developing world while effectively preventing cervical cancer.
Because HPV tests have been shown to be a valuable tool in the fight against cervical cancer, Basic Health International is working to make this screening method available to the women we serve in El Salvador.