Shenzhen Cervical Cancer Screening Trial III

Using the residual stored DNA from the Cervista High Risk HPV assay used in SHENCCAST II, we tested the SHENCCAST II dataset (noted above) with the new Cervista 18/18 HPV assay. These data was presented at Eurogin 2011, Lisbon, Portugal.

It has been suggested and recommended that using a specific 16/18 assay as a secondary screen would be an excellent method of increasing the specificity of primary HR-HPV screening. This study demonstrated whichever primary test is used you significantly improve specificity by secondary screening with the Cervista 16/18 assay. The fact that world-wide 70% of the cervical cancers are either 16 or 18 positive makes this a relevant strategy to consider even with the consequential loss of sensitivity for ≥ CIN3.

We anticipate many studies in the future examining options for the management of the HPV positives from primary screening.