Urine test for HPV works well,analysis finds

A simple urine test can routinely spot human papillomavirus (HPV), which is linked to the risk of cervical cancer, a new analysis found.

"Our study shows that testing urine for HPV has good accuracy when compared to testing samples taken from the cervix for HPV," said lead researcher Dr. Neha Pathak. She is a resident in obstetrics and gynecology and research fellow at Queen Mary University of London, England.

Compared with cervical samples, the HPV urine test correctly identified positive results 87 percent of the time. The urine tests correctly identified negative results 94 percent of the time. When it came to the high-risk strains of the virus -- HPV 16 and 18 -- the urine test correctly identified positive results 73 percent of the time and negative results 98 percent of the time.

Although more research on the test is needed, the concept has potential, said Fred Wyand, a spokesman for the American Sexual Health Association and the National Cervical Cancer Coalition.

Study mentioned:
Neha Pathak, M.B.B.S., resident, obstetrics and gynecology, and research fellow, obstetrics and gynecology, Queen Mary University of London, England; Fred Wyand, spokesman, American Sexual Health Association and the National Cervical Cancer Coalition; Sept. 16, 2014, BMJ, online