Doctors react to cervical cancer guideline update, at-home HPV test approval
Researchers from the World Health Organization say cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women, globally.
New screening guidelines have been released for cervical cancer, just in time for its awareness month.
Researchers from the World Health Organization say cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women, globally.
They say it's caused by "persistent infection with human papillomavirus," better known as HPV.
Dr. Gizelka David-West, the director of gynecologic oncology for Northwell Health's Westchester region, says some women can use an at-home option to collect samples for HPV testing.
"Initially, it was a test you could do in the office. The provider could give it to you to self-administer, but now it's been approved to do it at home. You can self administer yourself, in the comfort of your own home, and then submit it to the lab so they test for HPV," David-West says.
Dr. David-West says the test is now FDA-approved and can be used for women ages 30 and older.
David-West considers the development game-changing.
"We are expanding access," David-West says. "We're now capturing a population who is insured but has had fears of coming to the gynecologist and fears of this pelvic exam."
Jenny Edelston took the at-home test and says she was pleased by the experience.
"So, I did it in October. It came back clear. It was so easy [and] so simple," Edelston says.
She's now waiting for other areas of health care to catch up to modern times.
"I feel like women have kind of suffered in silence for 100s of years with all the different tests and all of the invasive procedures that haven't been improved upon," Edelston says.
In the meantime, David-West says she hopes access to this test continues to expand.
"I'm hopeful that this test will then be offered to patients with Medicaid, or financial support for the uninsured, because that's really where we're seeing the highest rate of cervix precancer and cancer," David-West says.
For more information about the updated guidelines, click here.
