Endometrial cancer is the second most common malignancy. Routine Papanicolaou (Pap) testing has dramatically reduced the death rate of cervical cancer since its implementation in the 1950s. Over 1500 women each year in Canada have cervical cancer diagnosed and 430 deaths annually are due to this malignancy.  Cervical cancer should be 90% curable.

It is now recognized that a genital virus infection with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) may cause a pre-cancerous change in women.  in the cells of the cervix.  The HPV infection has no symptoms and is not detected by either doctors or patients.  The pre-pcancerous changes (called cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or CIN) may then alter further into invasive cervical cancer.

One of the problems with routine Pap testing is the discovery of an abnormality described as “atypical squamous cells of undertermined significance” also called ASCUS.  Most of these cases resolve without treatment but cause considerable anxiety in patients who must be checked frequently without a clear diagnosis. This is where HPV testing will play an important role.

It turns out that women with ASCUS who also have a negative HPV test are at very low risk for cancer and can be monitored in the routine way.

But women with ASCUS who have a positive HPV test should be referred for colposcopy (a direct visualization and biopsy procedure).

This strategy will identify 96% of women with cervical cancer, compared with 85% when a second Pap smear is used.

HPV testing is the most sensitive indicator of cervical cancer risk, up to 40% more sensitive than the traditional Pap test. The traditional Pap test is extremely valuable, and it has had a dramatic effect on reducing cervical cancer. However, recent studies show that HPV testing is even more sensitive than the traditional Pap test for identification of women at risk for the development of cervical cancer. Studies show that the HPV test complements the Pap test, and the two tests used together are highly effective for detection of cervical cancer.

A LifeLabs HPV test will tell you whether you have been infected with a virus that can cause cervical cancer. If your test is negative for high-risk HPV, your chances of developing cervical cancer are low. If you test positive for high-risk HPV, you are at increased risk for development of cervical cancer. Please consult with your healthcare provider who can advise you on the most appropriate course of action.