Genital Warts HPV The HPV DNA Test
The HPV DNA test
The DNA HPV test can determine if the patient is infected with a high-risk strain of HPV that increases the chance that cancer might develop if not treated. The HC2 High-Risk HPV DNA test does not test for cervical cancer, but for Human Papilloma virus (HPV) viruses. It is approved for use in conjunction with the Pap test. For both the Pap and HPV tests, cells collected from the cervix are sent to the laboratory for analysis. But unlike the Pap test, which relies on the visual examination under a microscope, the HPV test examines the genetic makeup of 13 high-risk strains of HPV. The HPV test can identify 13 of the high-risk types associated with the development of cervical cancer. The HPV test is done at the same time as the Pap test by using a small soft brush to collect cervical cells that are sent to the laboratory, or the HPV testing sample may be taken directly from the Pap sample. Women who have normal Pap test results and no HPV infection are at very low risk (0.2%) for developing cervical cancer.
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