I haven’t had a Pap test since my injury a few years ago and I’m 40 now. I’m not sure how it will even work when I can’t transfer myself to an exam bed. Can I just skip it?
– Renee in Cranbrook
To answer this question, we reached out to Dr. Lily Proctor, Medical Director of the Cervical Cancer Screening Program at BC Cancer, and a Gynecologic Oncologist at BC Cancer and Vancouver General Hospital.
The purpose of cervical screening is to detect cervical precancers and early cancers that can be treated and cured. This is not a test you should skip! Anyone with a cervix, including women and TTGD (Two-Spirit, transgender, and gender diverse) people between the ages of 25 and 69 should participate in cervical cancer screening.
Until recently, the primary test in British Columbia was a Pap test. As of January 29, 2024, you can order a highly accurate cervix self-screening kit. You can self-screen in the comfort of your home or at the office of a health-care provider.
The cervix self-screening kits tests for human papilloma virus (HPV), the virus that causes cervical cancer. During a Pap test, a health-care provider inserts a speculum into your vagina and removes cells from the cervix to test for changes that have been caused by HPV. Cervix-self screening can detect the presence of high-risk types of HPV before cell changes have occurred and does not require a sample of cells from the cervix. Testing for HPV detects cervical cancers earlier and faster than testing with a Pap test. We also have more confidence in a negative HPV test, which is why the recommended testing interval is every five years, instead of every three years for a Pap test.
To be able to complete the cervix self-screening swab, you need to be able to place the swab into your vagina and rotate it for 20 seconds. The insertion of the swab is similar to how you would insert a tampon, though the swab is much smaller. If you are unable to complete the test yourself, you can get a support person to help with sample collection at home or ask a health-care provider to collect a sample for you.
Vaginal samples collected by patients have been shown to be just as accurate as those collected by health-care providers. If collection hasn’t been done properly or the result is invalid, BC Cancer would let you know that sample collection needs to be redone.
BC Cancer will mail you a letter when you are due for cervix screening. You and anyone who has never been screened can request a self-screening kit by phone at 1-877-702-6566 or online at screeningbc.ca/cervix. Kits are mailed in nondescript envelopes and include simple instructions and a prepaid return envelope.
Results will be sent by mail and/or online to you and your health-care provider within four to six weeks from the time the kit is completed. A Pap test or colposcopy may be recommended for you if you test positive for HPV, depending on the type of HPV detected.
A positive HPV test does not mean you have cervical cancer. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus, and most people will contract it at some point in their lifetime. Usually, HPV clears up on its own. Only long-term infection with high-risk HPV can cause pre-cancerous changes to the cells of the cervix, which can develop into cervical cancer if undetected and untreated. A positive HPV test helps identify people at risk of developing abnormal cells of the cervix, so those cells can be detected and treated early to prevent cervical cancer.
If you test positive for HPV, it’s important that you reach out for follow-up care and treatment. If you don’t have a primary care provider or nurse practitioner, you will be connected to a clinic in your community that can provide follow-up care and support. Help us in our efforts to eliminate cervical cancer in BC!
SCI BC’s Associate Director of Service Delivery responds:
Many people with SCI who require gynecological care don’t have access to a clinic with accessible bed for exams such as a Pap test. This HPV self-test may offer a more accessible way to keep up with cervical cancer screenings. Have you tried it? Tell us how accessible it was for you: jmaffin@sci-bc.ca.
This article was originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of The Spin. Read more stories from this issue, including:
- Camper trailers
- Peers’ experience of caregiving
- New research on pressure injury treatment
And more!
Read the full Spring 2024 Issue of The Spin online!
