Thousands of Whittlesea women join cervical cancer fight

Thousands of Whittlesea women are joining others across Australia to participate in Australia’s largest clinical trial in a bid to end the devastation caused by cervical cancer.

Dr Anjalia Joshi and Dr Diana Petropoulos are among a group of Whittlesea doctors involved in the trial. Picture: Rob Leeson.

More than 1500 Whittlesea women have signed up to be part of Australia’s largest clinical trial.

The women will join more than 75,000 others across the country as participants in The Compass Trial.

The trial is looking at the effectiveness of the new National Cervical Screening Program which changed testing from being a pap smear every second year to a cervical screening test every five years.

PLAN TO ELIMINATE CERVICAL CANCER

GENERATIONS TO ESCAPE CURSE OF CERVICAL CANCER

CALL TO ADOPT CERVICAL CANCER VACCINE

Cancer Council cancer screening and immunisation committee chairwoman Prof Karen Canfell said seven Whittlesea medical clinics involved in the trial.

“The Compass Trial is so important because it is the first trial-based evidence of cervical screening in women who have been offered the HPV vaccine,” Prof Canfell said.

At present cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide.

Trial participants would have a test taken from their cervix in the same way as they would during a routine cervical screening test.

Dr Anjalia Joshi and Dr Diana Petropoulos are helping patients at the Tristar Medical Group in Epping participate in the trial. Picture: Rob Leeson.

However, trial samples would then be tested, using a randomised approach, with either an HPV test (looking for the virus which causes the cells to change) or a pap smear (looking for precancerous changes to the cells), Prof Canfell said.

“The Compass Trial is an incredible endeavour, which will not only refine and improve screening in Australia but also around the world, ultimately saving women’s lives and contributing to the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem.”

Results from the first phase of the trial supported existing research showing screening for the HPV virus was the most effective way to prevent cervical cancer, she said.

BE INVOLVED

Women aged 25-38 can sign up for the trial at compasstrial.org.au or phone: [phone]. A further 8000 participants are needed. Recruitment will finish at the end of the year