Good news! We have received another ZonMw grant (grantnr 505312598034). Lead researchers Nienke Veldhuijzen and Hans Berkhof will study the effects of risk-based screening on the long-term risks of acquiring an HPV infection and of developing cervical precancer.

Rationale

In 2017, the Dutch cervical cancer screening programme changes from cytology-based (PAP smear) to human papillomavirus (HPV) based screening. HPV is the causal virus of cervical cancer and the new screening test detects if HPV is present in the cervix.  In the new programme, the time to the next screening round depends on the woman’s age and the result of the HPV test. This is referred to as risk-based screening.

Study aim

This study aims to assess the effects of risk-based screening on the long-term risks of acquiring an HPV infection and of developing cervical precancer. We will also evaluate whether risk-based screening may be improved in terms of costs, burden and effectiveness, by also considering the HPV results of preceding screening rounds. For this purpose, the data of an HPV screening trial – already conducted in 1998 to 2001 – will be linked to the results obtained in the new screening programme. This will create a large data set – including up to four screening rounds – enabling us to study such long-term effects.

Read more about our work on cervical cancer prevention.
Read more about the project which will start 01-11-2016.