About the project
The project will start by first gaining information about human papillomavirus (HPV) testing and measuring women’s attitudes towards HPV vs pap smear screening. Subsequently, (quality adjusted) life year gains and costs of various testing strategies will be estimated in order to prevent as many cancer cases as possible at an acceptable cost.
Objectives
This project aims at providing more knowledge about how to best screen with HPV tests for cervical cancer in order to detect women who may develop clinical cervical cancer.
Outcomes
The project has the potential of reducing the burden of cervical cancer among Norwegian women.
Background
Population-based cervical cancer screening programs have been very successful in reducing the incidence of invasive cervical cancer in the industrialized world. Most primary screening programs use cytology-based methods to detect pre-malignant lesions.
Due to the strong link between HPV and cervical cancer, new diagnostic tests and vaccines to detect or prevent certain genotypes of HPV have been developed. Though there is no treatment for HPV, any cellular changes associated with the infection can be monitored and treated accordingly before invasive cervical cancer develops.
Public understanding of HPV and its role in cervical cancer development is poor. The introduction of screening for cervical cancer using HPV testing may have an impact on a women’s willingness to participate in screening. Some women may concentrate on the sexual transmission of HPV rather than its implications for the development of cervical cancer.
Cooperation
- Cancer Registry of Norway (CRN)
- Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services
- Harvard School of Public Health
- Department of Health Management and Health Economics at the University of Oslo