Cervical cancer self-tests deemed smear alternative

New research has claimed that swabs or urine samples taken at home could be as effective at identifying women at high risk of cervical cancer as traditional smear tests.

The researchers from Queen Mary University of London have developed a non-invasive test to detect cervical pre-cancer by analysing urine and vaginal samples women collect themselves. As part of the trial, the scientists asked 600 women to provide self-collected samples for screening.

Although larger trials are needed, the work has been called ‘promising’ and a potential ‘game-changer’ by charities.

The S5 test measures chemical changes that are detectable in urine or self-collected vaginal fluid samples to gauge a woman's cancer risk. A high score suggests there is an increased risk of a pre-cancer lesion being present. In the study, the S5 test was good at distinguishing which women had pre-cancerous growths diagnosed following conventional screening.

Dr Nedjaj, Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Molecular Epidemiology Lab at Queen Mary’s Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, said that the S5 test needed to be tried on more than 10,000 women before it could be offered on the NHS. She predicted the at-home tests could be available via the health service in five years.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally and women aged between 25 and 64 are invited for cervical screening every three years in the UK. However, while cervical screening can save lives, many women find having a clinician take a swab of their cervix unpleasant, embarrassing or are worried it will hurt. Figures suggest that around one in four UK women do not attend when invited.