Non-speculum clinician-taken samples for human papillomavirus testing: a cross-sectional study in older women.

Background: Cervical cancer incidence and mortality are high in women aged ≥65 years, despite the disease being preventable by screening. Speculum-based screening can become more uncomfortable after the menopause.

Aim: To examine test performance and acceptability of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing on clinician-collected vaginal samples without a speculum (non-speculum).

Non-speculum sampling approaches for cervical screening in older women: randomised controlled trial.

Background: Cervical cancer disproportionately affects women ≥65 years, especially those not screened regularly. Speculum use is a key barrier.

Aim: To assess if offering non-speculum clinician-taken sampling and self-sampling increases uptake for lapsed attenders aged 50-64 years.

Lectins in Cervical Screening.

Cervical screening in low-resource settings remains an unmet need. Lectins are naturally occurring sugar-binding glycoproteins whose binding patterns change as cancer develops. Lectins discriminate between dysplasia and normal tissue in several precancerous conditions.

Acceptability of non-speculum clinician sampling for cervical screening in older women: A qualitative study.

Objectives: One reason that women over age 50 report avoiding cervical screening is increased discomfort postmenopause. This study aimed to explore the acceptability of human papillomavirus testing on clinician-collected vaginal samples without a speculum ('non-speculum') for cervical screening among older women.

Methods: Thirty-eight women in England aged 50-64 with a range of cervical screening experience ('up-to-date' n = 17, 'overdue screening' n = 18, 'never screened' n = 3) were identified via a recruitment agency.

Cytology in the diagnosis of cervical cancer in symptomatic young women: a retrospective review.

Background: Cervical cancer in young women presents a diagnostic challenge because gynaecological symptoms are common but underlying disease is rare.

Aim: To explore the potential for using cytology as a diagnostic aid for cervical cancer in young women.

Design And Setting: Retrospective review of primary care records and cytology data from the national cervical screening database and national audit of cervical cancers.

Offering self-sampling to cervical screening non-attenders in primary care.

Objectives To assess the feasibility and acceptability of offering self-sampling for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing to cervical screening non-attenders when they consult primary care for any reason. Methods In a pilot implementation study, six general practices in London, UK, offered self-sampling kits during consultation to women aged 25-64 who were at least six months overdue for cervical screening (no cytology test recorded in the past 3.5 years if aged 25-49, or 5.

Cervical cytology and the diagnosis of cervical cancer in older women.

Objectives: Most non-screen-detected cervical cancers are advanced stage. We assess the potential for cytology to expedite diagnosis when used outside of routine call and recall screening for cervical cancer.

Methods: Two cohorts of women with cytology that did not appear to have been taken as part of routine screening, nested within a census of cervical cytology, in England between April 2007 and March 2010 were studied: 93,322 women aged 40-69 at first cytology, and 14,668 women aged ≥70.

Consultation rates in cervical screening non-attenders: opportunities to increase screening uptake in GP primary care.

Objective: To estimate the proportion of cervical screening non-attenders presenting to general practice (GP) primary care over one year.

Setting: 137 practices in East London, UK.

Methods: Anonymous primary care records were downloaded using EMIS web (clinical software).

Estimating the workload associated with symptoms-based ovarian cancer screening in primary care: an audit of electronic medical records.

Background: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological malignancy in the United Kingdom (UK). Studies have found that many women with ovarian cancer have symptoms for several months before diagnosis. Using a symptoms-based tool to diagnose ovarian cancer (OC) earlier is appealing, but may increase general practitioner (GP) workload because the symptoms are typically vague and non-specific.

Delays in diagnosis of young females with symptomatic cervical cancer in England: an interview-based study.

Background: Diagnosis may be delayed in young females with cervical cancer because of a failure to recognise symptoms.

Aim: To examine the extent and determinants of delays in diagnosis of young females with symptomatic cervical cancer.

Design And Setting: A national descriptive study of time from symptoms to diagnosis of cervical cancer and risk factors for delay in diagnosis at all hospitals diagnosing cervical cancer in England.

Measuring the nature and duration of symptoms of cervical cancer in young women: developing an interview-based approach.

Background: Some young women experience delays in diagnosis of cervical cancer, but little research about ways of studying these delays has been published. A major challenge is that gynaecological symptoms are common in young women, but cervical cancer is rare. This study describes the development and testing of a measure for studying delays in diagnosis in young women with cervical cancer.

Predictive value of symptoms for ovarian cancer: comparison of symptoms reported by questionnaire, interview, and general practitioner notes.

Background: Because of the poor survival outcomes associated with advanced ovarian cancer, early detection strategies are needed. Although several symptom indices have been described, their relationship with the potential lead time has been poorly documented.

Methods: Women aged 50-79 years who had newly diagnosed ovarian cancer (n = 194) and control subjects (n = 268) who attended ovarian cancer screening clinics were included in the analysis.