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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · South Asian J Cancer 2025; 14(01): 067-068
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1789274
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Gynaecological Malignancies

Revolutionizing Cervical Cancer Screening: Self-Vaginal Sampling for Human Papillomavirus Detection

Bhagyashri R. Patil-Takbhate 
1   Central Research Facility, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, (Deemed to be University), Pune, Maharashtra, India
,
Swati D. Bhakare
2   Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, (Deemed to be University), Pune, Maharashtra, India
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Abstract

Self-vaginal sampling (SVS) is a promising tool for cervical cancer prevention, offering a convenient and cost-effective alternative to traditional screening. With an 80% lifetime risk of HPV infection among women, SVS improves accessibility, particularly for marginalized communities and older women who are often excluded from routine screening. It reduces discomfort, empowers self-care, and provides insights into the vaginal microbiome, aiding in the detection of pathogens beyond HPV. However, challenges such as loss to follow-up, sampling errors, and misconceptions persist. Despite these hurdles, SVS remains a vital strategy for increasing screening participation and reducing cervical cancer disparities.

Keywords

cancer prevention - cervical cancer screening - cost-effective - high-risk human papillomavirus - self-vaginal sampling


Publication History

Article published online:
22 August 2024

© 2024. MedIntel Services Pvt Ltd. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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