‘Game changing’ new DIY cancer test for women

Urine sample at home could replace smear tests, offering significant savings for the heath service

Home urine tests for cervical cancer could replace smear tests, with more accurate results, a “game-changing” NHS trial suggests. Scientists said the DIY methods could revolutionise checks carried out on millions of women, with takeup now the lowest it has been for 21 years.

HOME urine tests for cervical cancer could replace smear tests, with more accurate results, a “game-changing” NHS trial suggests.

Scientists said the DIY methods could revolutionise checks carried out on millions of women, with take-up now the lowest it has been for 21 years.

They said the method proved far more popular among participants, and was likely to appeal to those who disliked intrusive checks.

The British study of 620 women asked them to provide urine samples, which could be self-checked, as well as undergoing smear tests which check for HPV. The urine tests were far more likely to detect the presence of precancerous changes, with 96 per cent of cases spotted, compared with 73 per cent among those only undergoing the HPV test.

Scientists said the method could be offered by the NHS in three to five years if a larger trial succeeds. They said it could offer significant savings to the health service.

Latest NHS figures show nearly one in three women did not respond to their smear invitation – the worst since records began.

At present, women aged between 25 and 64 who are registered with a GP in

England and Wales are invited to attend a screening where a doctor or nurse collects a sample of cells from the cervix.

The sample is usually first used to check for the human papilloma virus (HPV). If that is positive, the sample will be examined for abnormal cells that can predict cancer. Women at risk are then asked to return for a colposcopy.

The new method, known as the S5 test, looks for a collection of molecules that control the activity of a gene known as EPB41L3. If the molecules have effectively turned the gene off, it signals a greater risk of cancer.

The test also looks for the four types of the HPV virus that are most strongly associated with cancer – HPV16, 18, 31 and 33. This data is then used to calculate an “S5 score” that indicates the overall cancer risk.

The findings were presented at the National Cancer Research Institute Conference in Glasgow.

Robert Music, chief executive, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust said: “The findings from this research could be a game changer.”

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women in the world. Infection with HPV is a major cause.

In 2018, there were an estimated 570,000 new cases and 310,000 women died from the disease. Around 2,600 women are diagnosed every year in England and 690 die, Public Health England reveals. It is estimated that 83 per cent of cases could be prevented if women attended screenings.