HPV Testing and Cervical Cancer

A study published in Cancer Research shows that testing for Human papilloma virus more accurately predicts the risk of cervical cancer than do Pap smears, particularly in older women. In the United States, cervical cancer is the 8th most common cancer of women. About 12,800 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer and about 4,800 die from it each year. Cervical cancer is a malignancy of the cervix. It is mainly caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV). The study included more than 7000 younger women (22?32 years old) and 1500 older women (40?50 years old) followed for 10 years after initial negative results for Pap smears and human papilloma virus. The researchers found that nearly 25% of older women and 18% of younger women who had a normal Pap smear but a positive HPV test developed cervical cancer. Over 10 years, the risk of cervical cancer was 14% in the younger women and 21% in older women in those with a positive HPV test. Overall, cervical cancer was markedly higher among women who tested positive for HPV. The study recommends the HPV test with or without a Pap smear for better determination of cervical cancer. Gardasil, a vaccine against HPV, is now widely recommended for many women to prevent cervical cancer.