Advances in Cervical Cancer Screening: Comparing HPV Testing with Pap Smear in Early
Detection
Submission: 07 November 2025 | Acceptance: 02 February 2026 | Publication: 01 March 2026
1Samah Badr Hamad, 2Dr. Nazia Suleman, 3Dr.Aliya Abrar, 4Dr Motasim Billah khan, 5Umar Khan, 6Dr Samra Ismat
1University of khartoum- Basic Medical Science Department Address: Khartoum – Sudan
2 Consultant gynaecologist, Life Care Hospital, Maternity Home and Pain Clinic, Assistant Professor Abu Ummara Medical and Dental college Lahore
3Senior Lecturer, Forensic Medicine Sir Syed Medical College for Girls Karachi
4Assistant Professor Anatomy, Pak International medical college Hayat Abad. Peshawar
5PIMS
6Associate professor at Abu umara medical college Lahore
ABSTRACT:
Background: Cervical cancer remains a significant global health issue, and early detection is crucial for reducing mortality rates. Traditional Pap smear screening has been widely used, but the introduction of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing has raised questions about its efficacy and advantages over conventional methods.
Aim: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of HPV testing with Pap smear in the early detection of cervical cancer and its precursors.
Methods: A total of 300 women aged 30 to 65 years underwent both HPV testing and Pap smear in a clinical setting. Data were collected on the sensitivity, specificity, and overall detection rates of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 and 3. Statistical analyses were performed to assess the differences between the two screening methods.
Results: HPV testing demonstrated a significantly higher sensitivity (93%) compared to the Pap smear (65%) for detecting CIN 2 and 3. The specificity of Pap smear was slightly higher (85%) than that of HPV testing (80%). The overall detection rate for CIN 2 and 3 was also greater in the HPV testing group (30% vs. 15%).
Conclusion: The findings indicated that HPV testing was more effective than the Pap smear in the early detection of cervical cancer and its precursors. These results support the incorporation of HPV testing as a
primary screening method, potentially leading to improved outcomes in cervical cancer prevention. Keywords: Cervical cancer, HPV testing, Pap smear, early detection, screening methods, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.