Women may someday test for cervical cancer at home, without going to the doctor's office for a pelvic exam, according to a recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Researchers studied a simple new DNA test. To perform it, women take a swab at home and send it to a lab. The lab looks for DNA from the human papilloma virus, which causes 96 percent of cervical cancer.
According to a study of 1,400 South African women, the test picked up cervical cancer as often as a Pap smear, which looks for abnormal human cells. In a second study, it actually picked up cancer more often than a Pap smear.
The new test requires more research and is yet to be approved by the FDA. Still, it could someday make a big impact on cervical cancer. Pap smears have led to a decrease in cervical cancer since they hit the market.
This new test is cheaper and could be more widely available to women, so it could have an even bigger impact.
