Study reveals benefits of two HPV tests in cervical screening

A study carried out in Sweden and published in the British Journal of Cancer has called for women to be offered two human papillomavirus (HPV) tests with a short interval in between in order to reduce the need for unnecessary treatments.

The research was carried out by the Uppsala University Hospital and showed that of 188 women – from a sample of 2,800 – tested positive for HPV after a first test, but this number fell to 44 when a second test was carried out a few months later.

Lead author of the study Professor Ulf Gyllensten commented: "Repeating the HPV test reduces the number of women who are sent for other more invasive tests – when in fact they do not have any serious cervical changes on further examination."

Meanwhile, figures from Cancer Research UK have shown that a high proportion of women aged from 25 to 64 are missing smear tests.

It found that women in their fifties were put off from visiting their gynaecologist for fear of embarrassment and pain, while younger women found it more difficult to find the time to attend appointments.