Patient FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About Cervical Cancer Screening

Cervical cancer screening involves tests that look for changes in the cells of the cervix that could lead to cancer. The goal is to find and treat these changes *before* cancer develops. The two main tests are the Pap test and the HPV test.[1, 2]

The **Pap test** (or Pap smear) looks for precancers, which are cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately.[1]

The **HPV test** looks for the human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that can cause these cell changes.[1]

Sometimes these tests are done together, which is called co-testing.[1]

HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is a very common virus that is the main cause of cervical cancer.[3] Most sexually active people will get HPV at some point in their lives, but the vast majority of infections go away on their own without causing any problems.[4, 3] A positive HPV test does not mean you have cancer; it means you have a virus that could potentially cause problems down the road and should be monitored by your doctor.[5]

The OncoE6™ Cervical Test is a newer, more specific type of test. A standard HPV test just detects if the virus is present. The OncoE6™ Cervical Test goes a step further by detecting the E6 oncoprotein, a specific protein that high-risk HPV types 16 and 18 produce only when they are actively causing the changes that can lead to cancer.[6, 7, 8] This helps distinguish a harmless, temporary infection from one that is on a path to cause cancer, helping to avoid unnecessary follow-up procedures.[7]

“Molecular Colposcopy” is a term used to describe the benefit of the OncoE6™ Cervical Test. A traditional colposcopy is a visual exam where a doctor looks at the cervix with a magnifier to find abnormal areas to biopsy, but it’s possible to miss the most serious spot. The OncoE6™ Cervical Test avoids this “sampling error” by checking the entire cell sample for the molecular signature (the E6 protein) of a high-risk infection, giving a more complete picture of what’s happening on the cervix.[9, 10]

HPV infections are extremely common in women in their 20s, but they are almost always temporary and clear up on their own.[4, 11] Because of this, testing for HPV in this age group leads to a high number of “false positives,” which can cause unnecessary anxiety and lead to follow-up procedures for an infection that would have resolved naturally.[12, 4] That is why guidelines often recommend only a Pap test for this age group.[13, 2]

Current guidelines suggest that women over 65 can stop screening if they have a history of normal test results.[14, 13] However, women over 65 still account for about 20% of new cervical cancer cases and are more likely to be diagnosed at a late stage.[15, 16] One reason is that hormonal changes after menopause can make Pap tests less accurate and more likely to miss problems.[17, 18, 19]

An abnormal result usually requires a follow-up procedure called a **colposcopy**. This is a simple procedure where your doctor uses a magnifying lens to look at your cervix more closely. If they see a suspicious area, they may take a small tissue sample, called a **biopsy**, for testing.[20]

If a biopsy shows high-grade precancerous cells, your doctor may recommend a **LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure)**. This procedure uses a thin wire loop with an electric current to remove the abnormal tissue.[21] While LEEP is very effective, it does carry a small risk of affecting future pregnancies, including an increased risk for preterm birth and miscarriage.[22, 23, 21]

Yes. The FDA recently approved HPV self-collection kits that can be used at home. You can collect a vaginal sample yourself and mail it to a lab for testing. This is a great option that can help overcome barriers like lack of time, transportation, or discomfort with pelvic exams.

Yes, studies show comparable accuracy for detecting high-grade changes, especially when using validated, PCR-based tests. One FDA-approved device showed 95% agreement with clinician-collected samples.

Your Questions Answered: Cervical Cancer Screening in South Africa

About Cervical Cancer & Screening

Cervical cancer is a very serious health problem for women in South Africa. In fact, it is the number one cause of cancer-related death for women in our country. Many women are diagnosed with it every year, and sadly, many die because the cancer is often found too late.

The good news is that cervical cancer is preventable. With regular screening, doctors can find problems early, before they ever turn into cancer, and treat them effectively.

A Pap smear is a common screening test that looks for changes in the cells of your cervix that could one day turn into cancer. It has been a very important test and has saved many lives.

However, the Pap smear is not perfect. It can sometimes miss problems, especially in older, postmenopausal women. Also, the system for getting results and follow-up appointments can have long delays, meaning some women don’t get the care they need in time.

Yes, it does. Women living with HIV have a much higher risk of developing cervical cancer. The virus that causes cervical cancer (called HPV) is more likely to cause problems if your immune system is also dealing with HIV.

This is why regular and highly accurate screening is extra important for you. It helps your doctor stay on top of your health and catch any issues as early as possible.

A New Test: The OncoE6™ Cervical Test

The OncoE6™ Cervical Test is a new, smarter test that helps your doctor decide what to do next if your Pap smear or HPV test comes back positive. It’s a follow-up test, also known as a “triage” test.

Its main job is to tell your doctor if the HPV virus in your body is just passing through (which is very common and usually harmless) or if it’s actually causing dangerous changes that could lead to cancer. This helps make sure you only get more invasive tests and treatments if you really need them.

The three tests look for different things:

  • An HPV test just checks if the HPV virus is present in your body. Most of the time, your immune system fights off the virus on its own, so just having it doesn’t mean you will get cancer.
  • A Pap smear looks for visible changes in your cervical cells. It’s like looking for signs of trouble with a microscope.
  • The OncoE6™ Cervical Test is different. It looks for a specific warning signal (a protein called E6) that the virus is actively causing trouble and pushing cells to become cancerous. It gives a much clearer signal of your immediate risk.

What This Means For You

Getting a positive result from a screening test can be scary, but it’s important to remember it usually does not mean you have cancer. Most of the time, it’s just a sign that you need a closer look.

The OncoE6™ test is used as that next step. If the OncoE6™ Cervical Test is negative, it means your risk of having a serious problem is very low, and you can likely avoid a colposcopy (an uncomfortable procedure where a doctor uses a magnifier to look at your cervix). It helps your doctor sort out who really needs more tests from who can safely wait and be checked again later.

It’s very common for young women to get HPV infections, but their bodies almost always clear the virus naturally without any problems. The old way of testing often leads to unnecessary treatments for issues that would have gone away on their own.

Some of these treatments can damage the cervix and cause problems with future pregnancies. The OncoE6™ test is much better at telling if your HPV infection is harmless or a real concern. This helps you avoid treatments you don’t need and protects your future reproductive health.

After menopause, natural changes in the body can make Pap smears less reliable, meaning they are more likely to miss problems. The OncoE6™ Cervical Test works in a different way that isn’t affected by these age-related changes.

It is very good at finding the high-risk problems that could turn into cancer, giving you a much more accurate result and greater peace of mind. It helps ensure that any real issues are caught early, when they are easiest to treat.

Using a smarter test like OncoE6™ Cervical Test can make our entire screening system better and more efficient. It prevents money from being wasted on unnecessary procedures, and those savings can be used to help screen more women who haven’t been tested.

It also helps doctors and nurses focus their time and resources on the patients who need them most. The ultimate goal is to catch problems earlier, treat them more effectively, and move closer to eliminating cervical cancer as a major health threat for all women in South Africa.