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Pap Smears Begone!
What? "Spread em and grin" might be hitting the bricks? Yep, according to the Times:
A new DNA test for the virus that causes cervical cancer does so much better than current methods that some gynecologists hope it will eventually replace the Pap smear in wealthy countries and cruder tests in poor ones.
Not only could the new test for human papillomavirus, or HPV, save lives; scientists say that women over 30 could drop annual Pap smears and instead have the DNA test just once every 3, 5 or even 10 years, depending on which expert is asked.
Their optimism is based on an eight-year study of 130,000 women in India financed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and published last week in The New England Journal of Medicine. It is the first to show that a single screening with the DNA test beats all other methods at preventing advanced cancer and death.
'The study is another nail in the coffin for Pap smears, which will soon be of mainly historical interest,' said Dr. Paul D. Blumenthal, a professor of gynecology at Stanford medical school who has tested screening techniques in Africa and Asia and was not involved in the study.
But whether the new test is adopted will depend on many factors, including hesitation by gynecologists to abandon Pap smears, which have been remarkably effective. Cervical cancer was a leading cause of death for American women in the 1950s; it now kills fewer than 4,000 a year.
Downside: The insurance industry will no doubt use those DNA results, if this pans out, to take our premiums for years—then deny us a payout based on our genetic profiles. But still...no more Pap smears? Yippee!
While the idea of a DNA test
While the idea of a DNA test sounds great there will still be need for paps. Say I test positive for the DNA, that does not mean that I have cancer or will get cancer. The test shows that the DNA is present and that I am at increased risk. A pap will still need to be done to identify any changes at the cellular level that would indicate the presence of abnormal cells and the possible presence of cancer. It is important for women to continue regular exams. Additionally, annual exams are necessary for the administration of birth control. I am all for discontinuing paps but not at the expense of women's health. This most basic, and inexpensive, test has helped countless women and will continue to do so.
This DNA test is for the viral DNA, not yours
This DNA test is to look for whether you've been infected with the HPV virus that causes cervical cancer, not whether you have inborn genetic risk factors. It detects the DNA of the virus, and doesn't look at your own DNA. So while genetic profiling is a serious concern, this new test doesn't bear on that issue. And if the test is more sensitive (and less painful!) count me in!
Won't Eliminate Pap Smears, Will Save Lives
There are multiple causes of cervical cancer. HPV produces 80% of those cancers, but 20% have other, unknown causes. Since most cervical cancer is very slow-progression, and the fastest-progressing ones are caused by HPV strains, this means that Pap smears could be reduced, from annual to every few years, but it would not eliminate their need.
In addition, you can contract HPV, but not develop cancer for quite some time afterwards. As a result, being found to have HPV via this test would only serve to make the annual Pap smear more imperative for you, not less. A Pap smear detects cancer cells, an HPV test does not. However, if your GYN knows ahead of time that you have HPV, they may order a form of lab test that is more efficacious at detecting early stage cancers, thus saving you from reaching a more advanced stage of cancer between annual smears.
The DNA test will likely help doctors to better identify the patients who need close watching, thus drastically reducing the number of cancers that go undetected, and also reducing the number of early stage cancers that go undiagnosed. It is unlikely, however, to eliminate Pap smears.
OK, U 3 'dudes' need to volunteer for a MoJo forum on this issue
I HEAR U. Totally. We need to discuss this. I''ll talk to MoJo and figure out how to find u. HANG TIGHT!
Debra J. Dickerson
MoJo Blogger