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US poll reveals ‘significant’ gaps in women’s knowledge about cervical cancer
Over 70 per cent of women have delayed getting a Pap test, the US medtech company BD has found
New findings indicate a significant gap in women’s knowledge about the primary causes of cervical cancer and the most effective means of prevention.
Despite being one of the few cancers that is almost entirely preventable, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS), 14,000 women in the US are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and more than 4,000 women die from it.
The online survey of US women between 18 and 64, conducted by The Harris Poll, found that 71 per cent of respondents have delayed getting a Pap test, also known as a smear test.
Detecting cervical cancer early with a Pap smear can give women a greater chance at a cure. The test can also detect changes in a woman’s cervical cells that suggest cancer may develop in the future.
However, if the changes are not detected and treated appropriately, precancerous cells can turn into cervical cancer, experts warn.
Around 15 per cent of American women say their last OB/GYN visit for a routine care or check-up was more than three years ago, with nearly one in 10 saying they have never had a Pap test.
About one in 10 hispanic and black women say they have never had an OB/GYN visit for routine care and similar proportions say they have never had a Pap test.
When asked why they have delayed getting a Pap test, Hispanic women are more likely to report feeling embarrassed, afraid it would hurt or unable to access a OB/GYN.
“Racial and ethnic minorities, rural residents, sexual and gender minorities and those with limited English proficiency often face cultural, economic and geographical factors that preclude them from obtaining critical health screenings, including Pap and HPV tests,” said Brooke Story, worldwide president of Integrated Diagnostic Solutions for BD, the US medtech company that published the findings.
“Being that January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, there is no better time to analyse the sentiment women hold around such screenings.
“The survey results underscore that lack of knowledge is one of the biggest barriers to receiving timely screening.
“We need more patient-centered communications to educate everyone, including and especially marginalised and underserved groups, in addition to providing greater access to critical diagnostic tools and services.”
As many as 75 per cent of American women say one of their 2023 resolutions would be to get on track with their annual health screening appointments, like OB/GYN visits.
While 91 per cent say they are knowledgeable about women’s health in general, fewer report being knowledgeable about more specific aspects, such as how often they should get a Pap test or HPV test that looks for the virus responsible for causing cervical cancer.
The study found that 67 per cent of American women were unaware that almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV.
Overall, 47 per cent of American women say they don’t understand the difference between a Pap test and an HPV test, with Black women (58 per cent) more likely to agree with this than non-Hispanic white women (44 per cent).
Similarly, 66 per cent of did not know that nearly all sexually active men and women get HPV at some point in their lives, while 61 per cent did not know there are different types of HPV strains.
More than 50 per cent of American women mistakenly believe that Pap tests screen for a variety of STDs, while 67 per cent mistakenly believe that women aged 30 to 65 need a Pap test every year.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and US Preventive Services Task Force recommend screening begin at 21 years of age, with Pap testing every three years and average-risk individuals aged 30 years and older screen every five years with primary HPV testing or co-testing.
The American Cancer Society recommends screening begin at age 25 with primary HPV screening.
Small bowel microbiome differences between women and men may help explain why some conditions are more common in women, a study suggests.
The small bowel microbiome is the community of microorganisms living in this part of the digestive tract, where they play vital roles in immune function, metabolism and hormonal regulation.
Researchers found differences between women and men in the composition and organisation of these microbial communities. One bacterial community containing Granulicatella was found only in women.
The study was conducted by investigators at Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University.
Ruchi Mathur, director of clinical research and clinical operations for the Medically Associated Science and Technology (MAST) Program at Cedars-Sinai and corresponding author of the study, said: “One intriguing finding was a bacterial community containing Granulicatella, which we found only in women.
“Bacteria in this community appear at increased levels in women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome.”
The researchers also identified differences between women and men in how microbes in the small bowel produce fructans, complex carbohydrates known to trigger digestive symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
IBS is far more common in women than men.
Mathur, who is also a professor of medicine, said: “Our findings show that biological sex is a critical variable in the small bowel microbiome.
“We must consider it as we move toward more personalised approaches to understanding and treating disease.”
An experimental cancer drug reduced bone loss and body fat in mice modelling post-menopausal changes, early research suggests.
The compound, CADD522, appeared to strengthen bones and help the animals stay leaner after surgery designed to mimic hormonal changes seen after menopause.
The treatment remains at an early experimental stage and has so far only been tested in animals.
The study, led by the University of East Anglia, investigated CADD522, which was originally developed to block a protein involved in the growth and spread of several cancers.
Mice treated with the compound for eight weeks showed significant improvements in bone health. Scans found increased bone volume and better preservation of the honeycomb-like structures inside bones that are crucial for strength and resilience.
Blood tests suggested the treatment stimulated new bone growth without interfering with the body’s normal process of breaking down and rebuilding bone.
Dr Darrell Green, lead researcher from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Osteoporosis affects around one in three women over the age of 50, leaving sufferers vulnerable to painful fractures that can seriously impact quality of life.
“Current treatments exist, but many are plagued by side effects, safety concerns or inconvenient dosing schedules that make long-term use difficult.”
The researchers also found that mice receiving CADD522 weighed less than untreated mice despite eating the same amount of food.
They had less body fat and fewer fat deposits in their bone marrow, a process commonly seen after menopause and linked to declining bone health.
The team also examined brain tissue and found that the drug appeared to reverse several menopause-related changes in fatty acids.
Levels of omega-3 fats including DHA remained largely intact, while several other lipid abnormalities shifted back towards healthier patterns.
Green said: “We didn’t directly test for memory or thinking ability, but our work raises questions about whether this drug could one day help address wider menopause-related health problems.”
Safety experiments in mice, rats and dogs found that CADD522 could be taken orally and was well tolerated.
The compound also appeared to be metabolised more slowly in human tissue than in rodents, potentially improving its performance in people.
“This is still in the early stages and has so far only been tested in animals but we hope that the benefits will translate to humans to ultimately reduce fracture rates,” added Green.
The research was led by UEA in collaboration with the University of Maryland, the Scintillon Research Institute in San Diego and the University of Stirling.
Safety testing was funded by The Sir William Coxen Trust as part of the development of CADD522 as a childhood cancer treatment.
Weight loss surgery was linked to more regular periods and fewer polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) symptoms in women aged 18 to 45 living with obesity in a recent study.
The researchers recommend that women undergoing the procedure have access to preconception care and reproductive counselling to support their reproductive health.
Researchers at the University of Surrey analysed data over 24 months from 84 women who underwent bariatric surgery and 18 women living with obesity who did not have surgery.
Of those who underwent surgery, 49 had gastric bypass procedures and 35 had gastric sleeve surgery.
Women who underwent metabolic bariatric surgery lost more than 30kg on average at 12 and 24 months after the procedure.
Among women with polycystic ovaries, the condition persisted in only 10 per cent after 24 months.
Women also reported a resolution of clinical hirsutism, or excess body hair, by 12 months.
Women who had previously experienced irregular periods reported more regular menstrual cycles after surgery.
Professor Martin Whyte, co-author of the study and professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Surrey, said: “A large proportion of those undergoing bariatric surgery are women of reproductive age, who may be planning a pregnancy in the coming years.
“So much remains unknown about the impact of this type of surgery on women who are planning to have children.
“This raises the question of when the ideal time after surgery is to conceive.”
Women have a higher prevalence of obesity than men, with 57 per cent of women in the UK classified as overweight and 27 per cent living with obesity, which can affect fertility and the health of an unborn baby.
The researchers said 17 women had healthy pregnancies following surgery.
Although this was not specifically examined in the study, no difference in birth weight was observed between babies conceived within or after the first year.
Dr Kathryn Hart, co-author of the study and associate professor in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Surrey, said: “What we have found is that bariatric surgery positively affects the reproductive health of women living with obesity and can improve the likelihood of them having a healthy pregnancy after surgery.
“Dysregulated hormone levels, irregular periods and conditions such as polycystic ovaries are affected by obesity.
“By reducing this, what we have seen is that it can lead to improvements without the need for medication.
“We would suggest that clinicians consider medical intervention for obesity to treat irregularities in the menstrual cycle and issues with fertility.”
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