Concentrated urine as an alternative to cervical smear samples enabling easy screening of HPV in large populations

Abstract

Background

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a leading cause of cervical cancer, necessitating effective screening methods, particularly in large populations and resource limited settings. Current cervical smear-based screening faces challenges related to accessibility, invasiveness, and patient compliance. This study investigated the feasibility of using concentrated urine samples as a noninvasive alternative for HPV detection.

Methods

First-void urine samples from 126 patients were collected alongside cervical swabs. A biological fluid concentrator, MyMagiCon®, was used to concentrate the urine samples before HPV detection via RT-PCR.

Results

The results demonstrated substantial agreement (Fleiss’ kappa = 0.796, p < 0.0001) between HPV detection in concentrated urine samples and cervical smear samples. Concentrated urine samples showed a 17 % increase in HPV detection compared to unconcentrated urine.

Conclusions

This noninvasive and novel approach offers significant advantages in terms of accessibility and patient acceptance, potentially improving screening coverage and early detection rates, especially in underserved populations. Further research is needed to validate these findings in larger, more diverse populations and optimize the methodology for enhanced sensitivity and specificity, but the findings suggest concentrated urine-based HPV testing holds considerable promise as a cost-effective, accessible screening strategy in preventing cervical cancer.