Smear tests new test on horizon

[SHIRLI]

academics at barts and London school of medicine have found that urine tests identify the presence of h.p.v were 87% accurate whilst not being as accurate as the smear test it could be improved. 1 in 5 women fail to turn up for smear test because of the intrusive nature of this test.

good news for 1 in 5 of us. ABOUT TIME

[BazzaS]

academics at barts and London school of medicine have found that urine tests identify the presence of h.p.v were 87% accurate whilst not being as accurate as the smear test it could be improved. 1 in 5 women fail to turn up for smear test because of the intrusive nature of this test.

good news for 1 in 5 of us. ABOUT TIME

 

Not all cervical cancer is due to HPV's : does their test do anything to protect against this?

 

HPV infection is common in sexually active women aged under 25. It is rare for these to cause cervical cancer in this age group. What do you propose to prevent false positive tests, unnecessary anxiety, "swamping" of colposcopy clinics (by 'the worried well') and the consequent increase in miscarriage rates from unnecessary cervical biopsies?

[leigh04]

Im quite happy to go for a smear test every year luckily I have a great nurse that does it.

[honeybee13]

Me too, Leigh. It isn't particularly pleasant, but I'm sure that treatment for cervical cancer is much more difficult.

 

I would always prefer to be diagnosed early and treated than leave it too late and face the consequences.

 

HB

[leigh04]

Me too, Leigh. It isn't particularly pleasant, but I'm sure that treatment for cervical cancer is much more difficult.

 

I would always prefer to be diagnosed early and treated than leave it too late and face the consequences.

 

HB

 

Exactly HB , im high risk both my mum and aunt died from cervical cancer and both uncles have had bowel cancer, I have never missed going for mine I cant take the risk.

Yes its unpleasant but for a few minutes I dont care if it saves my life.

[honeybee13]

Exactly HB , im high risk both my mum and aunt died from cervical cancer and both uncles have had bowel cancer, I have never missed going for mine I cant take the risk.

Yes its unpleasant but for a few minutes I dont care if it saves my life.

 

I agree completely and I'm very sorry about your relatives. It's only a couple of minutes as you say, and the nurse doing this has done hundreds or thousands of smear tests. It may seem intrusive to me or you, but it's routine for them and they've seen it all before. They don't look at it the same way.

 

I just want to be safe, as I think you do.

 

HB

[leigh04]

I agree completely and I'm very sorry about your relatives. It's only a couple of minutes as you say, and the nurse doing this has done hundreds or thousands of smear tests. It may seem intrusive to me or you, but it's routine for them and they've seen it all before. They don't look at it the same way.

 

I just want to be safe, as I think you do.

 

HB

 

Thankyou HB,

Well after having four kids I dont find much embarressing so a smear test is easy for me to do bit I do understand that for some they find it awkward but as I have said never have and never will miss my test I want to be able to see my grandkids ( none yet tho ) grow up

Unlike my mum.

[slick132]

On 9th Septmber, ITV's This Morning ran a feature on the subject of the Smear Test. Dr Dawn Harper had the procedure done on live TV and seemed very relaxed through the process.

 

http://www.itv.com/thismorning/health/what-really-happens-during-smear-test-dr-dawn-harper

 

They also showed the improved plastic speculum and smear brush that are designed to make the process better.

 

[ALIGRUBS]

1 in 5 women do not go for smear tests because of it intrusive nature, 20% is a high number this urine test is not perfect but it is a start and when it is perfected it will cover all all virus leading to cervical cancer according to the british medical journal.

this morning program on i.t.v wheel out the smear test every year trying to tell us this is really quite a simple test with a couple of familiar faces volunteering to have the test on tv this is how concerned the medical is about the negative views on the smear test trying to persuade women.

I am happy 80% of women are happy to have the smear test

[BazzaS]

1 in 5 women do not go for smear tests because of it intrusive nature, 20% is a high number this urine test is not perfect but it is a start and when it is perfected it will cover all all virus leading to cervical cancer according to the british medical journal.

this morning program on i.t.v wheel out the smear test every year trying to tell us this is really quite a simple test with a couple of familiar faces volunteering to have the test on tv this is how concerned the medical is about the negative views on the smear test trying to persuade women.

I am happy 80% of women are happy to have the smear test

 

SHIRLI / ALIGRUBS/ (whichever log-in that parrots the same info, with the same posting style, and the same [common & unusual] grammatical errors) :

Which part of which BMJ article says "when it is perfected it will cover all all virus leading to cervical cancer" (since you note this "according to the british medical journal")

 

I've actually read the recent source articles (rather than just the press's interpretation of them) and can't see where they say that....

I might have missed that bit, and since you have quoted it ... no doubt you'll be able to point it out (since I'm sure you actually read the article(s) and wouldn't just make it up as you are going along, or blindly believe some journalist who can't interpret what the article actually says......)

 

However : they do say ......

"In cervical cancer screening, patient important outcomes are cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or invasive cancer. We were unable to consider these in our meta-analysis as too few studies reported adequate data."

(Quoted from the recent paper by Pathak)

 

The authors expand on this by noting "In the case of cervical cancer screening, patient important outcomes that must be considered include acceptability of testing, prediction of CIN or invasive cancer, management of positive test results, and safe intervals for testing between negative test results. Although acceptability of urine HPV testing has already been shown in published literature, the remaining outcomes have not."

 

How do you know the urine test affects CIN and/or cervical cancer rates?

 

No one yet knows how long to wait before retesting after a negative test, or what to do with a positive result.

(Do all positives need colposcopy? If a smear test was an issue for the woman, how are they going to react to the suggestion of a colposcopy??)

 

These questions arise naturally from reading the source paper. I came up with them myself, although I then found them summarised in the editorial by Kitchener : "urine samples have not been evaluated for the outcome that matters most—the detection of CIN"!

 

So, you are advocating a test merely because it is more acceptable, but without knowing it actually protects those tested? Or knowing what to do with a positive result?

 

+ve result : they don't know what to do with the result ... Do they need a colposcopy? A smear (after all)?

 

negative result : how long is safe before a retest? How many women will be falsely reassured by a "negative test" & go on to get cervical cancer (either from HPV 16 or 18, from a different HPV, or from a non-HPV cause).

 

When it is known the urinary testing is adequate & safe, then it should be offered to the 20%, and the 80% : with the information regarding the benefits and downsides of each - to allow them to make their informed choice. Until then : it is a work in progress.

 

You shouldn't let your dislike of smears allow you to put women's health at risk by suggesting a test you can't yet know protects women.

[SHIRLI]

1 in 5 women do not go for smear tests because of it intrusive nature, 20% is a high number this urine test is not perfect but it is a start and when it is perfected it will cover all all virus leading to cervical cancer according to the british medical journal.

this morning program on i.t.v wheel out the smear test every year trying to tell us this is really quite a simple test with a couple of familiar faces volunteering to have the test on tv this is how concerned the medical is about the negative views on the smear test trying to persuade women.

I am happy 80% of women are happy to have the smear test

 

 

GOOD AFTERNOON aligrubs

you are wrong 80% of women are not happy to go for a smear test they just have no choise .

this morning on i.t.v are trying to say this test is easy.

I think it is wrong to lure women who have never had a smear test by using well known women trying to tell them it is nothing. the very nature of the test puts women in a position likely to be abused by a sadistic cruel nurse. all effort should be put into finding a test as good and accurate as a smear test

[helena246]

GOOD AFTERNOON aligrubs

you are wrong 80% of women are not happy to go for a smear test they just have no choise .

this morning on i.t.v are trying to say this test is easy.

I think it is wrong to lure women who have never had a smear test by using well known women trying to tell them it is nothing. the very nature of the test puts women in a position likely to be abused by a sadistic cruel nurse. all effort should be put into finding a test as good and accurate as a smear test

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought it was just me who thought the smear test was an horrific experience I am all for anything that replaces the test way we women are expected to endure

[honeybee13]

GOOD AFTERNOON aligrubs

you are wrong 80% of women are not happy to go for a smear test they just have no choise .

this morning on i.t.v are trying to say this test is easy.

I think it is wrong to lure women who have never had a smear test by using well known women trying to tell them it is nothing. the very nature of the test puts women in a position likely to be abused by a sadistic cruel nurse. all effort should be put into finding a test as good and accurate as a smear test

 

Hi Shirli.

 

I'm a bit confused by what you say. We have what we have as things are, and as I've already said, I would rather go through a few minutes of indignity with a smear test to stand a chance of being diagnosed and cured early on.

 

I'm sorry that your first smear test offended you, but have you ever had a baby or undergone treatment for cervical cancer like friends of mine? I have been told that the last two are a lot worse.

 

I'm sure efforts are being put into finding an alternative test, but for now my view is that we accept what there is because it seems to enable a diagnosis and in the meantime we hope for something like a urine test that will be equally effective. It's up to you whether you attend future smear tests or not, but then you need to accept the consequences if something is not picked up at an early stage.

 

HB

[SHIRLI]

I thought it was just me who thought the smear test was an horrific experience I am all for anything that replaces the test way we women are expected to endure

GOOD EVENING HELENA

you are not alone most women are either too afraid to complain or just think they have to put up with anything the n.h.s tell them, we must make our voices heard until they find a more civilised way to detect virus's that cause cervical cancer

 

Hi Shirli.

 

I'm a bit confused by what you say. We have what we have as things are, and as I've already said, I would rather go through a few minutes of indignity with a smear test to stand a chance of being diagnosed and cured early on.

 

I'm sorry that your first smear test offended you, but have you ever had a baby or undergone treatment for cervical cancer like friends of mine? I have been told that the last two are a lot worse.

 

I'm sure efforts are being put into finding an alternative test, but for now my view is that we accept what there is because it seems to enable a diagnosis and in the meantime we hope for something like a urine test that will be equally effective. It's up to you whether you attend future smear tests or not, but then you need to accept the consequences if something is not picked up at an early stage.

 

HB

GOOD EVENING honeybee

I have had many smear tests in my life both here in the uk and abroad whilst I have found them very unpleasant and felt and at the mercy of the nurse I continued with them, the last one I had here in Bournemouth at my doctor's surgery was torture the nurse assaulted me during the test. physically I was immobilised and could not defend myself. it is the nurses word against mine.you are right it is up to me whether i trust anyone ever to do the smear test on me. whilst i am afraid of having cervical cancer in the future i will never allow anyone to put me in that position again

[citizenB]

I am closing this thread. It is an extension of a thread that was closed some time ago.

 

If you want to start a campaign in respect of changing the system from what it is - then I would suggest you do this using the Government campaign website. You can then post an e-campaign link on our forum.

 

Please do not attempt to resurrect this subject in another thread.