A pilot project to help detect cervical cancer will involve Albertans screening themselves for the cancer using a take-home kit.
The province said more than 99 per cent of cervical cancer cases are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV,) and the pilot will help develop effective and sustainable HPV self-sampling strategies for under-screened populations.
The pilot will also validate the necessary pathways and protocols for expanding cervical self-screening provincewide.
Eligible Albertans will be invited to participate, including Indigenous people and individuals living in rural and remote communities.
The first 300 kits are currently available at the first pilot project site in Edmonton, with expansion to community partners and rural sites to follow.
“We know cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable with routine immunization and regular screening, which is why this pilot project is so important. This represents a vital next step towards eliminating cervical cancer altogether," said Health Minister Adriana LaGrange, in a statement.
The province said the cervix self-screening test is a more predictive test than routine pap testing. It detects high-risk strains of HPV, identifying individuals at risk for developing abnormal cervical cells, allowing for early treatment to prevent cancer.
In Alberta, there are about 170 new diagnoses of cervical cancer and 45 deaths due to cervical cancer each year.
Only an average of 62 per cent of eligible Albertans were screened for cervical cancer between 2021 and 2023.
The test kits contain the supplies people need to test themselves safely at home or wherever they are most comfortable. After testing, the kits are sent to a lab and results are provided to patients and health care providers.
A total of 5,000 kits will be collected during the pilot project, which is part of the Cervical Cancer Screening Program, launched by the province, along with partners Alberta Health Services (AHS) and Alberta Precision Labs.
