New Self-Test for Papilloma Virus Increases Accessibility and Reduces Embarrassment
The new self-test for detecting the papilloma virus is a game-changer in the fight against cervical cancer. The test allows patients to collect a vaginal sample without needing an invasive pelvic examination at the gynecologist’s office. Instead, the sample is given to the clinic nurse and sent to the laboratory for analysis. This new testing method can detect 14 common strains of the virus, especially those that cause cancer.
The FDA hopes that this new testing method will help increase the rate of women getting tested, as more than half of cervical cancer cases occur in women who have never been tested due to embarrassment or difficulty making a gynecologist appointment. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in papilloma virus infections, with about 30% of women being infected worldwide. In Israel, around 2,000 women are diagnosed with pre-malignant cervical changes annually, while 200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, resulting in about 100 deaths. The rate of infection in men in Israel is still unknown, but it is estimated that many women become infected through their male partners who carry the virus.
Professor Tal Biron, chairman of the Society for Maternal and Fetal Medicine and director of the gynecology and obstetrics department at Meir Hospital emphasizes the importance of this new self-test as it can save time, reduce travel, eliminate waiting in lines, and make testing accessible in remote areas. While self-examination is not yet common in Israel and is currently only done by gynecologists, it is hoped that it will be recommended more widely in the near future. By providing more accessible testing options, we can catch papilloma virus early and prevent cancer before it occurs.
