Women over 30 should be tested for cervical cancer very five years rather than the current interval of three years, according to the state health watchdog.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HiQA) says this is because the cervical cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) is more common in women aged 25-30.
HIQA made this statement as it recommends a change of the current screening method for cervical cancer, which would see an increase in cancer detections from fewer tests for adult women.
At present, women are tested for cervical cancer by getting a cytology test, which is done by examining a woman's urine. Women then receive a HPV test.
HIQA say that a reversal of this testing strategy, where the HPV test is done before the urine-based test, would increase the detection of precancerous abnormalities by 20 per cent and would reduce the cases of cervical cancer cases and deaths by 30 per cent.
Cervical cancer kills an average of 90 women in Ireland a year.
“Primary HPV screening is a better test which allows all women who participate in cervical screening to become aware of their current HPV status and those who are at higher risk of cervical cancer to be picked up earlier,” said Dr Máirín Ryan, director of health technology assessment at HIQA
So how does it work? HIQA says that women who are found to be HPV-positive after primary testing would use the follow-up urine-based cytology test to look at cellular abnormalities. If any abnormalities are detected, a more detailed examination of the cervix (colposcopy) is carried out.
“Women with a negative HPV test can be reassured that they are at very low risk of developing precancerous abnormalities in the next five years," said Dr Ryan, explaining why they recommend increasing the yearly-intervals.
The Irish Cancer Society supports HIQA's recommendations. Head of research Dr Robert O'Connor said, “The women of Ireland deserve the best possible services when it comes to the prevention and early detection of cancer. A move towards primary HPV testing gives them this."
“We call on the Minister for Health to heed Hiqa’s advice and move CervicalCheck to this form of testing, which is in the best interests of all women in Ireland.”
They also recommend extending the CervicalCheck screening coverage to 65 years old, instead of the current age of 50.
Women that received the first HPV vaccines as part of a nationwide immunisation programme that began in 2011 are now eligible for CervicalCheck. They are at a lower risk for developing cervical cancer.
