Clinical laboratories can play a role in educating and advising at-home self-collection test users
Women are twice as likely to follow through with cervical cancer screening when they receive a self-collection kit for HPV infection rather than a reminder phone call from a clinical laboratory. That’s according to research conducted at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes nearly all types of cervical cancer. In their study, the researchers found that 41% of women pursued cancer screening when given a self-collection kit as opposed to 17% who only received a telephone reminder.
According to a University of Texas press release, MD Anderson conducted its study between February 2020 and August 2023 and included 2,500 women from the Houston area between the ages of 30-65. Most of the women (94%) were racial or ethnic minorities, and 56% of the participants received help from a publicly funded financial assistance program. More than 80% of the women in the self-collection groups returned their self-collection kits.
“As self-collection tests become available in the US, it’s vital that we gather data to guide how they are rolled out. We want to make sure that they become available in clinics and health centers that care for people who often have the hardest time accessing healthcare,” said Jane Montealegre, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Behavioral Science, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at the University of Texas.
The scientists published their findings in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine titled, “Self-Collection for Cervical Cancer Screening in a Safety-Net Setting.”
“By removing barriers, we are hopeful that we can improve the uptake of evidence-based screening tests and make significant progress against this preventable disease,” said Jane Montealegre, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Behavioral Science, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at the University of Texas, in the press release. (Photo copyright: University of Texas.)
Comfortable Alternative to Pap Smears
At-home cervical cancer screening tests are becoming more popular as opposed to the Pap smear, a gynecological procedure that can be painful or uncomfortable for some patients.
In May, Teal Health announced it had received FDA approval to distribute its Teal Wand, the first at-home cervical cancer screening self-collection device commercially available, according to G2 Intelligence, a sibling publication to Dark Daily.
The turnaround time for the test is about one week, Teal spokesperson Lilly Bromberg told G2. Results are reported in a secure patient portal. Teal clinicians will schedule a follow-up with any patient who has abnormal results to explore future steps.
Option for Demographics More Likely to Develop Cervical Cancer
These self-collection tests could also reach patients who are unable to access care. “Too many women—especially those who are uninsured, live in rural areas, or come from marginalized and underserved communities—aren’t getting screened for cervical cancer,” said Montealegre.
Cervical cancer affects nearly 13,000 women annually, and racial disparities exist amongst those affected. According to the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, black women in America are 30% more likely to develop cervical cancer, and 60% of them are more likely to die of the disease, than non-Hispanic white women. Hispanic women have a 51% higher chance of developing cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women.
At-home screening may be a crucial next step in closing the gaps in care and further driving down the rates of cervical cancer. The findings of this study show how the convenience and ease of these tests may be able to bring at-risk women closer to diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer.
As newly approved self-collection tests become more popular, there may be a growing market for clinical laboratory professionals to advise at-home test users on their functionality and the results they return. Self-collection testing may increase in years to come because of these advances.
—Ashley Croce