Read the surprising results of a large-scale cervical cancer trial conducted in India. The New York Times has the story here. Could this DNA-based assay for HPV spell the end of annual Pap smears in developed countries, and of lower quality cervical cancer tests in resource-poor settings? If so, it would come as a welcome relief to millions of women, and require a dramatic revision of cancer screening guidelines. Here's media from the article:
Wide enthusiasm is developing for the new DNA test among gynecologists, patients, and public health workers. According to Mark Schiffman of the National Cancer Institute who wrote the NEJM editorial accompanying the article, "The implications of the findings of this trial are immediate and global. International experts in cervical cancer prevention should now adopt HPV testing."
