On Dec. 10, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force published updated cervical cancer screening recommendations, including guidance that would allow for patients to use self-collection, as opposed to a pelvic exam, for human papillomavirus testing at their physician's office.
The recommendation was met with enthusiasm from industry experts who shared their reactions with Becker's.
Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Kathy MacLaughlin, MD. Associate Professor of Family Medicine at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.): Primary HPV screening by self-collection is all about expanding cervical cancer screening options and empowering those with barriers to speculum-based screening. Among clinicians and researchers working to eliminate cervical cancer there is excitement about the recently released cervical cancer screening draft recommendations. This will be practice changing and has the potential to increase screening uptake in underscreened populations.
BJ Rimel, MD. Medical Director of the Cancer Clinical Trials Office and Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cedars-Sinai (Los Angeles): Self-collection will offer a realistic option for persons who do not wish to have a pelvic examination for a variety of reasons, from less time off work and shorter visits to the doctor, to prior trauma. I believe that this new option will increase rates of screening and improve detection of high risk HPV types which need further follow up.
Kathleen Schmeler, MD. Oncologist and Associate Vice President of Global Oncology at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston):
It's terrific. The U.S. is years behind the rest of the world. All the studies done over the last decade have shown that self-sampling, self-collection, is equivalent to provider collection and that women far prefer being able to do self-collection over provider collection.
The current approval [for self-collection] is in a health facility, but we're part of studies with the National Cancer Institute to further evaluate [at-home collection] and see what's needed.
We're going to reach people who aren't being screened because they didn't want to get a pelvic exam. But if patients have positive results, they have to get an exam. We need to make sure that self-collection is coupled with really good [appointment] navigation and that the patient is willing to do that.
I don't think we've solved everything, but we're definitely on the road. It is really important to do this.