Key Research in Cervical Screening

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme is based on sound research evidence. The following trials have been set up to address some of the issues around cervical screening:

• TOMBOLA study
• ARTISTIC trial
• A comparison of automated technology and manual cervical screening (MAVARIC)
• Attitudes of Black and Minority Ethnic Women

These research studies have already reported and evidence from them is being used to inform the programme:

• Benefit of cervical screening at different ages: evidence from the UK audit of screening histories (Sasieni et al 2003).
• The cervical cancer epidemic that screening has prevented in the UK (Peto et al 2004)

A comparison of automated technology and manual cervical screening (MAVARIC)

Cervical screening by cytology (smear tests) has proved an effective means of reducing death rate from cervical cancer and the introduction of Liquid Based Cytology (LBC) will benefit both women and cytoscreeners.

The use of automated technology may bring further benefits by making identification of abnormal cells easier. Instead of scanning an entire slide the cytoscreeners will be directed to 15-22 locations on a slide by computerised software.

MAVARIC is a randomised controlled trial set up in August 2005 to compare two automated cervical screening technologies with manual screening. Samples from women undergoing primary cervical screening will be randomly allocated to reading by manual screening alone or by one of two automated technologies backed up by manual screening.

The trial is expected to end in 2009 with results being published in 2011.

Attitudes of Black and Minority Ethnic Women

This Populus poll on attitudes to cervical cancer was commissioned by the NHS Cancer Screening Programme in November 2008. The results revealed that women from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups were less sure of their cervical cancer risk than white women. For more information, please contact the press office on 0207 400 4499.

Poll: Attitudes of Black and Minority Ethnic Women - November 2008 (PDF 224Kb)

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