Survey on effects of primary HPV screening and cytology practice in Europe

In 2018, the WHO called for a global incentive to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue. The Working Group concluded that both cytology and HPV nucleic acid testing are able to reduce the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer, with HPV testing leading to a larger reduction in cervical cancer incidence. The Working group underscored the need for adequate training and quality assurance in cytology-based screening (Bouvard et al, 2021)

The present survey is conducted as a project of the European Federation of Cytology Societies.

The primary goal is to map the current and planned cervical screening strategies in the different member countries.

Secondary end points are to measure the effects of primary HPV screening on cytology workload, diagnosis, and training.

The results of the survey will be published in a scientific journal and on the website of the EFCS.

We thank you for your participation in this survey.

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In your country the cervical cancer screening is implemented as

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What is the approximate percentage of the population’s coverage of the cervical screening?

Plase specify %

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6. Which form of cervical screening method is used in your country?

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7. Explain the screening scheme in terms of age and screening interval (i.e., screening with cytology from age 25 to 29 every 3 years followed by primary HPV screening from age 30 to 60 every 5 years).

8. Is there a plan to implement a screening strategy different from the current one in the next 5 years?

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9. Is there a published national guideline for cervical screening? What is the reference?

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10. In the case of primary HPV screening, which tests are used in your country for screening?

11. In the case of cytology screening, triage or co-testing, which method is mostly applied in your country.

12. Is there a program for continuing education for cervical cytology?

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13. Is there a program for quality assurance of cytology?

Certification of cytotechnologists

Certification of cytopathologists

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14. Is participation in a quality assurance program mandatory for laboratory accreditation?

15. If yes to question 10, do laboratories get feedback on their screening results?

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16. Is there a central register of screening results?

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17. In the case of primary HPV screening, which method is applied for triage of positive results?

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18. In the case of primary HPV screening, what has been the effect on the number of cytotechnologists employed in the laboratories.

19. In the case of primary HPV screening with cytology triage of positive HPV results, what has been the effect on cytology ASC-US diagnosis.

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20. Is triage with p16/Ki67 immunohistochemistry used in your country?

21. Is there a specific education program for cytology interpretation following a positive HPV result?

22. In the case of co-testing, are the cytotechnicians/cytopathologists informed of the HPV result at the time of cytology interpretation.

23. Is there a self-pay screening outside the official screening program in your country? To what approximate proportion (if known)?

Proportion is

24. In the case of primary HPV screening: is there a screening strategy for non-HPV induced cervical cancer?

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25. In the case of primary HPV screening: have you implemented self-sampling in your HPV primary screening?

Describe to whom and how do you triage samples

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