Master's student
Anne Sofie Øhlenschlæger
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Unit D, Odense University Hospital (OUH)
| Project management | ||
| Project status | Open | |
| Data collection dates | ||
| Start | 01.09.2024 | |
| End | - | |
Five years of follow-up in women aged 60-65 who are cytology negative at screening for cervical cancer
Short summary
Women over 60 with HPV infection are at risk of developing cervical precancerous lesions. The Danish Health Authority recommends HPV screening every five years for women aged 60-64. If positive, but without cell changes, annual follow-ups are done. This project aims to investigate how many women develop cell changes within five years of a positive HPV test, reviewing records from OUH's Gynecology and Obstetrics Department to assess the need for improved screening and follow-up care.
Rationale
Cervical cancer is a significant health issue for women over 60, primarily caused by chronic high-risk HPV infections. Although the Danish Health Authority introduced an HPV screening program for women aged 60-64, women who test positive for high-risk HPV but do not have treatment-requiring cellular changes are still at risk of developing precancerous lesions. These women undergo annual follow-ups to monitor for disease progression. However, studies have shown that follow-up practices vary, with many women undergoing prolonged monitoring, which may cause unnecessary discomfort and anxiety. This study aims to investigate how many women aged 60 and older, who tested positive for high-risk HPV but do not have treatment-requiring cellular changes, develop such changes within five years of their initial test. By reviewing medical records and test results from the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Unit D, at OUH, the study will assess the adequacy of current follow-up practices and explore potential improvements in the screening and follow-up program for women over 60.
Description of the cohort
The cohort for this study consists of women aged 60-64 years who were screened for high-risk HPV as part of the national cervical cancer screening program. These women tested positive for high-risk HPV but did not have treatment-requiring cervical changes (CIN2+) at the time of screening. After their positive HPV test, they were referred to the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Unit D, at Odense University Hospital (OUH) for follow-up. The study will follow these women over a period of five years to assess how many develop treatment-requiring cervical changes (CIN2+).
Data and biological material
This study utilizes data from patient medical records and Patobank.