Aussies to avoid Pap smears as cervical cancer self-screening expanded

Thousands more Australian women will be the first in the world have access to an easy option to screen for cervical cancer. SEE WHAT IT IS

SELF-ADMINISTERED cervical cancer screening will be expanded to all Australian women in a global first.

And it will be a “game-changer” for increasing access and better health outcomes for Indigenous and remote populations.

From July 1, access to the less invasive self-collection screening tests will be expanded to all people with a cervix aged between 25 to 74 due for a pap smear.

Previously only those older than 30 who were overdue for a test were eligible for the at-home option.

The expansion was done in the aim of helping Australia to achieve the World Health Organisation’s global strategy of eliminating cervical cancer by 2030.

The Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer executive director Professor Marion Saville said it was hoped the expansion would break down barriers experienced by some areas of the population, including Indigenous and remote residents.

“People living in remote and very remote communities are more likely to get cervical cancer all of this reflects the accessibility of screening and the cultural acceptability of the screening.

“Self-collection is much less invasive and uncomfortable than the current speculum collection performed by a healthcare professional — now people can collect a vaginal swab sample themselves in a private room at the clinic,” Professor Saville said.

She said in the Northern Territory particularly, the expansion would make a huge difference.

“In the context of the Northern Territory we know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are twice as likely to be diagnosed and almost four times as likely to die from cervical cancer.”

National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Research Associate Professor Lisa Whop said the self-collection method when implemented correctly would result in a higher uptake by Indigenous and remote communities.

“We think it will make an incredible impact to underscreened and never screened people,” she said.

“We’ve got good evidence to suggest that self collections are highly acceptable by these communities and they really want this option.”

Professor Whop said the way in which the option was implemented would be a major factor in the success of the policy.

“We know that it’s something that if offered in the right way can be a big game-changer,” she said.

“The good news is that it allows for different implementation methods so finding things that are locally tailored to the community will work.”

Outreach programs, pamper days and staff-screening sessions were suggestions of how to ensure the communities that need screening were targeted.

Results from initial studies showed that 85 per cent of people who refused a pap smear would choose the option to self-administer the swab.

“To me that’s a breakthrough — I expect it to make a substantial contribution to increasing participation in cervical cancer screening,” Professor Saville said.

According to the latest data, just over half (52.4 per cent) of eligible women in Australia were up to date with their cervical cancer screenings.

In the NT, 50.7 per cent of the eligible population was overdue for screening in 2019.

It is hoped increasing access to screening will reduce and prevent the incidence of cervical cancer, with 72 per cent of cases in people who were overdue or hadn’t received a screening.

Roche Diagnostics Australia’s managing director Allison Rossiter said their HPV tests would be the most widely available option, and hoped to reach a greater section of the population.