Primary HPV Screening Intervals Could Be Extended

FRIDAY, May 24, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Primary human papillomavirus (HPV) screening intervals could be extended, with the risk for cervical precancer or worse (CIN2+) eight years after negative HPV screening comparable to risk after three years in cytology cohorts, according to a study published online May 22 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Anna Gottschlich, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the BC Women's Hospital and Health Services in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and colleagues conducted a longitudinal cohort study involving women and individuals with a cervix (WIC) who received one to two negative HPV screens (5,546 in the HPV1 cohort; 6,624 in the HPV2 cohort) and WIC with one to two normal cytology results (782,297 in the BCS1 cohort; 673,778 in the BCS2 cohort). Participants were followed for 14 years.

The researchers found that after eight years, the cumulative risks for CIN2+ were 3.2 and 2.7 per 1,000 in HPV1 and HPV2, respectively. This was comparable to the cytology cohort risk after three years (3.3 and 2.5 per 1,000 in BCS1 and BCS2, respectively). After 10 years, the cumulative risk for CIN2+ was low in the HPV cohorts (4.7 and 3.9 per 1,000 in HPV1 and HPV2, respectively).

"These findings should provide assurance that the five-year interval recommended for HPV screening is even safer than the three-year interval for cytology screening," Gottschlich said in a statement.

Two authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry; one has a patent registered on DNA methylation markers for early detection of cervical cancer.

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