Cytology versus HPV testing for the detection of high‐grade cervical lesions in women found positive on visual inspection in Mumbai, India

Abstract

Cytology and HPV testing were both found to be accurate triaging methods for women suspected of having CIN on visual inspection, especially for those with CIN 3 lesions.

Adjunct screening of cervical or vaginal samples using careHPV testing with Pap and aided visual inspection for detecting high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

“…A possible reason could be the harbouring of cervical HPV infection without any visually detectable changes. A study from India [12] also stated that both cytology and HPV testing were found to be accurate for triaging or as a sequential method for women suspected of having high-grade lesions on visual inspection. The present study findings are not in agreement with this.…”

“…One study assessed optimal screening strategies for cervical cancer using stand-alone tests and their combinations among low-and middle-income populations of Latin America and Eastern Europe [11]. Another study from India compared Pap and HPV tests for the detection of high-grade CIN among VIA-positive cases [12]. A recent study [13] demonstrated the need for triage testing on the primary selfsample HPV testing to identify clinically significant pre-cancers or cancers.…”

Evaluation of cytology as secondary triage in visual inspection after application of 4% acetic acid-based cervical cancer screening program

“…[ 2 ] Referral of all the screen positives (many of whom are false positives) for colposcopy will result in substantial costs for the health-care systems and may create unnecessary anxiety in the women and their families. [ 6 ] Colposcopy services are still available only to a limited extent, with most of these facilities concentrated in the urban areas. Hence, there is need to triage the women screened positive on visual-based techniques with test with higher specificity to reduce referrals for colposcopy.…”