Firming up the Benefits of Cervical HPV Detection

The optimal implementation of human papillomavirus (HPV) detection for preventing cervical cancer is under debate. Now, Dutch investigators report final results of a population-based study (JW Womens Health Oct 25 2007) in which women (age range, 29–56) were randomized to undergo HPV DNA testing plus cervical cytology (intervention) or cytology alone (control); 5 years later, all women underwent HPV DNA testing plus cytology. Almost 50,000 women were initially randomized; of these, 39,000 participated in the second round of screening.

In the second screen, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 or worse (CIN 3+) was less common among women who initially received HPV testing (88 vs. 122 women; relative risk, 0.73; P=0.023). In addition, o…