Innovative Noninvasive HPV Screening Using a Feminine Pad: A Pilot Study for Enhanced Cervical Cancer Detection

Area of Science:

• Gynecology
• Oncology
• Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

• Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a primary cause of cervical cancer (CC).
• Current screening methods like Pap smears and HPV testing have variable effectiveness.
• An innovative, noninvasive HPV detection method using surgical gauze is proposed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a novel noninvasive device for HPV detection.
• To assess the device's sensitivity and specificity in identifying cervical lesions and cancer.
• To explore an accessible HPV screening tool for diverse socioeconomic settings.

Main Methods:

• 184 participants (healthy, precursor lesions, CC) enrolled.
• Participants wore a surgical gauze device for 8 hours.
• DNA extraction from gauze followed by PCR for HPV detection; cytological and colposcopic evaluations were also performed.

Main Results:

• High participant compliance with the gauze device.
• HPV detection rates: 17.7% (healthy), 72.1% (precursor), 97.1% (CC).
• Sensitivity/specificity for high-grade lesions (CIN2+): 94.81%/51.28%; for CC: 97.14%/54.39%.

Conclusions:

• The noninvasive gauze device shows significant correlation with clinical outcomes.
• This method is a potentially effective and accessible tool for HPV screening.
• Offers a promising alternative to conventional methods, especially in resource-limited settings.