Do-it-yourself human papillomavirus (HPV) tests could enable more than a million more women in England to participate in cervical screening over the next three years, according to a UCL-sponsored trial.
The YouScreen trial, supported by the Joint Research Office at UCLH and UCL, provided self-sampling kits to text for HPV to women and people with a cervix who were at least six months overdue for their cervical screening. The trial was done across 2021 and involved 133 GP practices.
Researchers found offering self-sampling kits to under-screened women when they attend their GP practice and by posting kits to women’s homes could boost the numbers screened in England by about 400,000 each year – and over a million over three years.
The trial was led by King’s College London in partnership with NHS Cancer Alliances in North Central and North East London, NHS England and the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. The work was funded by the Cancer Alliances for north central and east London, with additional supportive funding from Cancer Research UK.
The trial results are published in eClinicalMedicine.
Lead author Dr Anita Lim, from King’s College London, said: “It is crucial that we make cervical screening easier for women by introducing innovations like self-sampling, alongside the current cervical screening programme, to ensure that they are protected from what is a highly preventable cancer.”
Cervical cancer is highly preventable by screening for the human papillomavirus (HPV) which can lead to cervical cancer. Those not attending screening, or infrequently attending screening, are at the highest risk of developing cervical cancer.
Feedback from GP practices and trial participants was overwhelmingly positive, including reports of self-sampling enabling screening in those who have not historically engaged.
NHS England’s director of screening and vaccination, Deborah Tomalin, said: “It’s extremely promising that this study suggests simple DIY swab tests could have a really positive impact in supporting more women to take part in cervical screening from their own homes, and the NHS will now be working with the UK National Screening Committee to consider the feasibility of rolling this out more widely across England.
“In the meantime, if you are invited for cervical screening by the NHS, it’s vital that you come forward – it could save your life and remains vital towards our ambition of eradicating cervical cancer in England within the next two decades.”
Image: HPV virus graphic. Credit: paisorn / Adobe Stock
