HPV test more accurate than Pap smear

MONTREAL, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Canadian researchers found that the human papillomavirus screening test is more accurate than the traditional Pap test in detecting cervical cancer.

Dr. Eduardo Franco of McGill University in Montreal found the HPV test's ability to accurately detect pre-cancerous lesions without generating false negatives was 94.6 percent compared to 55.4 percent for the Pap smear.

The study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, is the first randomized controlled trial in North America of HPV testing as a stand-alone screening test for cervical cancer. The study involved 10,154 women ages 30 to 69 in Montreal and St. John's, Newfoundland.

However, Franco found the Pap smear had a slight edge over HPV for accuracy on the specificity scale -- its ability to accurately detect pre-cancerous lesions without generating false positives -- 96.8 percent versus 94.1 percent.

"We already knew before conducting this study that the sensitivity of Pap left a lot to be desired," Franco said in a statement.