Journal of the National Cancer Institute
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J. Natl. Cancer Inst. · Dec 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyAge-specific evaluation of primary human papillomavirus screening vs conventional cytology in a randomized setting.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing has shown higher sensitivity than cytology for detecting cervical lesions, but it is uncertain whether the higher sensitivity is dependent on the age of the woman being screened. We compared the age-specific performance of primary HPV DNA screening with that of conventional cytology screening in the setting of an organized population-based cervical cancer screening program in Finland. ⋯ Primary HPV DNA screening with cytology triage is more sensitive than conventional screening. Among women aged 35 years or older, primary HPV DNA screening with cytology triage is also more specific than conventional screening and decreases colposcopy referrals and follow-up tests.