NEW CLINIC PRIORITIZES CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING
On Mar. 3, the Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program (WWRCP) adopted a new cervical cancer screening method, replacing the Pap test with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing.
Family doctors, nurse practitioners and midwives have started using HPV as the new primary cervical cancer screening method. This new test will lead to early detection and prevent long-term impacts of cervical cancer.
โWhile cytology-based Pap tests only looked for pre-cancerous or cancerous cells, we now know that the majority of all cervical cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV),โ Neil Naik, Regional Primary Care Lead for Cancer Screening and Prevention for Waterloo Wellington, said.
Pap tests detect abnormal or pre-cancerous cells on the cervix but donโt detect the virus itself.
Even when abnormal cells or changes within the cervical cells are detected, the examination process requires further investigation or treatment. Unlike the Pap test, which was recommended every three years, HPV testing is done every five years, starting at age 25, for individuals with a cervix, if the results are negative.
โThis new approach tests for the presence of the 13 high-risk HPV strains known to cause cancer, allowing for earlier detectionโbefore significant cellular changes occur,โ Naik said.
Certain HPV strains can cause high risks for cervical cancer, especially types 16 and 18. The test can identify if a person is infected with these high-risk strains, even before abnormal cell changes occur.
โBy checking for HPVโthe virus that causes cervical cancerโwe can detect it at an earlier stage, allowing for fewer unnecessary interventions and faster for those who need it,โ Peter Potts, chief of staff at WRHN and a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist, said.
โThe new screening only detects cancer-causing HPV strains, not those that cause warts, and the test was designed for people without symptoms,โ he said.
The benefits of HPV testing has higher sensitivity, so it is better than cytology testing at detecting cervical pre-cancer or cancer. It is highly consistent and reproducible, and it has a higher predictive value, meaning negative results will correctly identify people who do not have a cervical pre-cancer or cancer and who will not develop cervical cancer in the next six years.
Local start-ups such as CELLECT Laboratories Inc. are also playing a role in advancing cervical cancer screening. CT Murphy, a nanotechnology engineering alumnus from the University of Waterloo, is developing new tools to improve HPV testing and accessibility.
Although the HPV vaccine protects against the most common cancer-causing strains, the testing is recommended for individuals with no symptoms to detect early exposure. HPV testing generally ends between the ages of 65 and 69, but it may continue based on the individualโs medical history.
Healthcare professionals recommend that people over age 25 take the HPV test screening if they took the HPV vaccination, feel healthy, have been through menopause, have had any family members with cervical cancer, or have had contact with a partner.
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