Amanda Caley provides an insight into the evidence to support the use of technology that could improve detection rates in colposcopy – including the results of an independent study, carried out at East Lancashire Hospitals. The technology uncovered 21 high grade Cervical Interepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) in patients that would have otherwise been missed.
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally and the 14th most common cancer in the UK with 3,200 new cases diagnosed each year. According to WHO, an estimated 570,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer worldwide in 2018 and it was responsible for over 300,000 deaths. If diagnosed early enough the disease can be treated, particularly at the pre-cancerous or cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) stage.
Almost all cervical cancer cases occur in women who have been previously infected with Human Papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a group of viruses, rather than a single virus. There are more than 100 different types of HPV. It is very common and is spread during sexual intercourse and other types of sexual activity. Some types of HPV do not cause any noticeable symptoms but at least 15 types of HPV are considered high-risk when it comes to cervical cancer.
The two highest risks are HPV 16 and HPV 18, which cause the majority of cervical cancers.
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