Health
HPV test better screening tool for cervical cancer in older women
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Nov. 20, 2006
A large Danish study found the test for human papillomavirus to be a much more effective way to screen for cervical cancer among women older than 40 than is the traditional Pap smear.
Since the presence of HPV is both more frequent and more transient in younger women, more in this age group would test positive even when there is no actual risk of cervical cancer, said the researchers. But in older women, HPV infection is more rare and more persistent, placing those older than 40 at substantial risk for the disease before changes in cervical cells, detected by Pap smears, are obvious. Researchers studied 8,656 women ages 22 to 32 and the 1,578 women ages 40 to 50.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/11/20/hlbf1120.htm.
