When It Comes To Cervical Cancer, Two Tests Are Better -- And Cheaper -- Than One

It is right that we constantly should be testing our assumptions about what keeps us healthy and what puts us at risk. New ideas and evidence that challenge current behaviors must be taken into consideration. But "new" isn't necessarily better, and many of our current practices - despite alternatives that by their very newness might seem better - remain the best option for care. This is especially relevant now as OB-GYNs from around the country recently convened at the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) annual meeting to debate the latest topics related to cervical cancer screening. Powerful new research related to cervical cancer backs up longstanding practices and recommendations, despite newer approaches that have gained some support. The truth is, however, these newer approaches just do not hold up under scrutiny, and may in fact be putting many women at risk. An issue is the effectiveness and efficiency of what's known as co-testing - that is, the Pap test plus HPV (human papillomavirus infection) test for cervical cancer screening, versus screening with the HPV test used alone, which has gained some currency. While our evolving understanding of the disease includes the role of HPV, some strains of which can cause cervical cancer, we also know the rate of cervical cancer, which had been a leading cause of death among women, has fallen by more than 70 percent since the Pap test became standard practice in the 1950s. So any practice that elimi...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news