Dr. Ginsburg Discusses Cervical Cancer Screening Techniques

Ophira Ginsburg, MD, director of the High Risk/Cancer Genetics Program at NYU Langone's Perlmutter Cancer Center, discusses cervical cancer screening techniques.

There are 3 ways in which cervical cancer is typically screened for—Pap testing, HPV DNA testing, and visual inspection with acidic acid (VIA). Although Pap tests have been very effective and have decreased the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in numerous countries, Ginsburg explains that they require a lot of infrastructure. The availability of cytopathology and the number of visits required to complete that screening process is inhibitive, she says.

Ginsburg says that VIA is recommended in countries that lack the infrastructure to support these more involved tests. After those skills have been perfected and qualifications are maintained, then HPV-based DNA testing can be introduced. Ginsburg says that while the price of HPV-based DNA testing is still too high, the point-of-care diagnostic capacity is in trials now to make sure the test can be done and ensure a wait time of less than 2 hours for her diagnosis.