Ontario is transitioning to HPV testing for cervical cancer screening beginning March 3, following similar changes in British Columbia and Prince Edward Island. The HPV test, which detects the virus responsible for cervical cancer, is more accurate than Pap smears and will allow patients to be screened less frequently. However, the use of self-screening kits is not included in this rollout, necessitating visits to healthcare providers for testing. The shift aims to reduce false positives and enhance early detection of at-risk populations, as explained by Dr. Amanda Selk, an obstetrician gynecologist.
The new method tests for the virus that causes pre-cancer and cancer, catching it earlier, reducing false positives and identifying populations more at risk, Selk said.
Previously they would look at the cells taken it's called cytology and look for pre-cancer cells, and sometimes they would have slightly abnormal changes that weren't pre-cancer and you would end up with more testing and actually nothing was wrong.
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