International experience of laboratory methods in the cervical cancer screening

Abstract

Cervical cancer (CC) is a serious health problem all over the world. CC is a fully preventable disease; however, it remains one of the leading causes of death among women with carcinomas. The screening helps to reduce morbidity and mortality. Two tests are used as screening tests in the world: сervical cytology and detection of human papillomavirus (HPV). Cervical cytology (Pap test) is a traditional test of CC screening. Two types of Pap test are used in modern laboratory practice: liquid and traditional methods. HPV testing is now used as the primary screening tool for СС in some countries. However, a key factor in effective screening is the coverage of the population and the organization of the screening. Immunocytochemical examination is an additional method used to improve the accuracy of diagnosis, p16/Ki-67 dual staining. This review focuses on the laboratory methods used in the world practice of screening. The literature search for this review was conducted using PubMed, MedLine and Embase.