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HPV-prevalence in elderly women in Denmark
Berit Andersen1, Birgitte Schütt Christensen2, Jette Christensen3
1Department of Public Health Programmes, Randers Regional Hospital, Central Denmark Region, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Skovlyvej 15, DK-8930 Randers NØ, Denmark.
Gynecologic Oncology
|May 16, 2019
Summary
Human papillomavirus (HPV) screening for women aged 69 and above in Denmark showed a participation rate of 30.2%. HPV prevalence decreased with age, and no rebound was observed post-menopause, suggesting screening is feasible for this demographic.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Public Health
- Virology
Background:
- Cervical cancer incidence remains high in elderly women in some countries, despite routine screening typically ending at age 65.
- Denmark extended human papillomavirus (HPV) screening to women aged 69 and above in 2017 to address this disparity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of an HPV screening program for elderly women (aged 69+).
- To determine the prevalence of high-risk HPV types, including HPV16 and HPV18, in this age group.
Main Methods:
- A nationwide invitation for HPV screening was sent to 455,612 women aged 69 and above in Denmark.
- Screening samples were collected by general practitioners and tested for high-risk HPV using two different assays (cobas 4800® and BD Onclarity®).
- Participation rates and HPV prevalence were analyzed across 5-year age groups.
Main Results:
- A participation rate of 30.2% was observed among the invited women, with an average age of 74.6 years.
- Overall, 4.3% of participants tested positive for high-risk HPV, with 24% of those positive for HPV16/18.
- HPV prevalence showed a slight decrease with increasing age, from 4.5% in women aged 69-73 to 3.1% in women aged 84-88, with a slight increase in the 89+ group.
Conclusions:
- HPV screening was well-received by elderly women in Denmark.
- HPV prevalence generally decreased with age in this cohort, with no evidence of a post-menopausal rebound when compared to younger populations.
- The study indicates that HPV screening is a viable strategy for older women, though the high incidence of cervical cancer in this group was not fully explained by HPV prevalence alone.
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