Since cervical cancer is caused by human papilloma virus (HPV), some researchers say that implementing national screening programs to detect HPV and vaccinating against it, may make cervical cancer a thing of the past.

In Berlin yesterday, Professor Jack Cuzick of Cancer Research UK told Europe’s largest cancer congress that HPV is “responsible for all cervix cancer.” He says that while the current vaccine only protects against two strains of the virus, soon there will be a vaccine that works against all nine strains. The more effective vaccine, combined with HPV testing, which is more sensitive than the Pap smear, could …read more

Some researchers believe that the Pap smear may soon be a relic of the past. It could be replaced with a DNA test performed once every three or five years.

The new DNA test faces opposition though. Some doctors don’t want to start using it because the annual Pap smear is what brings in patients each year for important check-ups. Plus, old habits are hard to break.
The DNA test still requires cervical scraping, but results are read by a machine. Since the test is more accurate and does not rely on trained pathologists, it may be very beneficial to women in …read more

Rain clouds seem to have made my part of the world its indefinite home. The skies over us haven’t been clear for a week now and looks like will stay that way for several more days that hopefully won’t make it to Christmas-time like it did last year.
The words low pressure area, monsoon rains sound like the new mantra of the daily weather bulletin.
For someone like me relying on wireless internet and satellite TV, non-stop heavy rains are not good, hugely affecting all the signal that I need. And then the electricity went out for a whole eight hours …read more

The traditional Pap smear is still the best initial cervical cancer screening tool for younger women.
A new large Danish study however, found that a test for human papillomavirus (HPV) is a much more effective way of screening for potential cancer in older women (age 40 and above).
The researchers specifically found that the absolute risk of developing cervical cancer in an older woman who tests positive for HPV is greater than 20 percent within a 10-year period. They also note that most women who test positive for HPV also test negative on a Pap smear given at the same time.
As reported …read more