Johannesburg - Six thousand South African women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and about half of them die from the disease.
And while cervical cancer can be treated if detected early, only 20 percent of the women have had a pap smear.
These findings by the World Health Organisation form part of the reason why a new home-based Human Papillomavirus (HPV) screening test – the UDoTest – has been developed and recently introduced into the market.
HPV has been found to be associated with cervical, vulvar, penile and vaginal cancers.
Allison Martin, managing director of UDoTest, looked into research done in high-income and low-income countries to try to understand why women did not go for regular testing.
“In Sweden and the Netherlands the most common reasons for not attending cervical screenings were shown to be a lack of time, feeling healthy, feelings of discomfort during the examination and insecurity about the smear,” she said.
“It is reasonable to say that this set of reasons could apply to South African women.”
According to Martin’s research, a population-based study in India revealed social barriers preventing women from getting regular pap smears included an inability to leave household chores and a lack of approval from husbands.
“Our highly specific and sensitive test aims to remove some of these barriers by providing women with the opportunity to collect their own sample of cervical cells in the comfort of their home and have it analysed at an accredited pathology lab,” Martin said.
She added all a woman needed to do was register on the company’s website (www.udotest.com) to order the test online.
It costs R699, excluding delivery, and is covered by some medical aid schemes. A woman can select either postal delivery (which is R50) and return, or the courier option (an extra R180), where the test is delivered to her home and picked up after 24 hours.
Feedback on the test is communicated via doctors back to the client on her online UDoTest profile.
Martin said the test would enhance adherence to screening recommendations for high-risk women over the age of 29.
“The combination of digital, mobile and molecular technology inspires me and gives me hope,” she said.
“I believe we can beat this disease and prevent unnecessary death and suffering by detecting the virus in women early and getting treatment where needed.” - The Star
MORE ON HPV
Almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV. About 50 percent of vulval cancers and 65 percent of vaginal cancers are linked to HPV. About nine out of 10 anal cancers are associated with HPV. More than half of oropharyngeal cancers (cancers that occur in the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils) are also linked to HPV. According to the South African Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (January 2013 issue), eight women in South Africa die of cervical cancer daily. The World Health Organisation projections are that this number will increase to about 12 deaths a day in 2025.
Source: www.udotest.com