Urine testing for HPV
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Urine testing for HPV: the UVC pilot study
IRAS ID
170159
Contact name
HC Kitchener
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 0 days
Research summary
Testing for human papillomavirus infection in the cervix is now in routine use across England to identify those women who require referral to colposcopy and for those women who have received treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. The next stage in developing the role of HPV in the Cervical Screening Programme is as the primary screening test. Aside from determining whether to replace cytology with HPV testing as the primary cervical screen, HPV testing has become an option for self sampling by means of self insertion of a small vaginal sampling device (similar to a tampon) which is then sent to the lab. If the test is negative, no cytology is required but if it is positive, then the women would be advised that she required to have a directed cervical cytology sample as is routinely performed. Currently, self sampling is only considered as a means of encouraging women who do not take up the offer of screening, but looking to the future this could appeal to many women for reasons of convenience, privacy etc.
An alternative means of self sampling is to use a urine sample. In this pilot study, 100 women attending the Colposcopy Clinic in CMFT with abnormal cervical screening result or abnormal appearance of the cervix, would be asked to provide three samples. The first and second would be a first-stream urine sample without any cleansing which would be passed into a small collection pot and would be immediately followed by a self obtained vaginal swab using a self-sampling kit. The third would be a directed cervical sample obtained by a doctor during the colposcopy visit.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NW/0218
Date of REC Opinion
19 Mar 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion