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RecruitingInterventional

Self-Collection of the Pap Smear as Agency: A Novel Way to Improve Refractory Low Cervical Cancer Screening Rates in Rural Alabama

NCT ID: NCT04093388Sponsor: University of Alabama at BirminghamLast updated: 2026-03-31

Summary

The purpose of the study is to find out if a self-administered (by the patient) Papanicolaou (Pap) smear is as accurate as a traditional Pap smear administered by a healthcare provider.

Detailed description

Papanicolaou (Pap) smears will be both self-obtained by the patient and obtained by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. Specimens will then be collected by the nurse or medical assistant who will label each specimen separately. Specimens will be blinded so that the pathologist will not know which specimen was self-collected and which provider-collected. Specimens will then be sent to our clinical laboratory provider (LabCorp) for analysis. Once results from the Pap smears are received, participants will be notified in the usual manner in our clinical practice. Finally, analysis will be conducted to ascertain whether or not a self-administered (by the patient) Pap smear is as accurate as a traditional Pap smear administered by a healthcare provider.

Arms & interventions

  • Diagnostic TestSelf-PAP

    A single cohort of 250 patients will be recruited from among those who need a Papanicolaou (Pap) smear for routine cervical cancer screening, to perform a self-administered Pap smear immediately prior to the traditional Pap smear. Blinded assessment of both tests will be then conducted.

  • Diagnostic TestTraditional Pap smear

    A single cohort of 250 patients will be recruited from among those who need a Papanicolaou (Pap) smear for routine cervical cancer screening, to perform a self-administered Pap smear immediately prior to the traditional Pap smear. Blinded assessment of both tests will be then conducted.

Outcome measures

Primary

  • Evaluate the self-PAP against the traditional Pap smear procedure

    Time frame: Baseline through 14 days

Eligibility criteria

Sex: FemaleAge: 21 Years to 65 YearsHealthy volunteers: No
Inclusion Criteria: * Female of at least 21 years of age and not over 65 presenting who need routine cervical cancer screening per national guidelines. Exclusion Criteria: * prior history of cervical cancer or a positive Pap smear, have had a total hysterectomy (removal of uterus and cervix), or currently enrolled in any other cancer prevention study.

Study locations (3)

Cahaba Medical Care - West End

Birmingham, Alabama, 35211

Recruiting

Cahaba Medical Care - Ensley

Birmingham, Alabama, 35218

Recruiting

Cahaba Medical Care

Centreville, Alabama, 35042

Recruiting

References

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  • Ogilvie GS, van Niekerk D, Krajden M, Smith LW, Cook D, Gondara L, Ceballos K, Quinlan D, Lee M, Martin RE, Gentile L, Peacock S, Stuart GCE, Franco EL, Coldman AJ. Effect of Screening With Primary Cervical HPV Testing vs Cytology Testing on High-grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia at 48 Months: The HPV FOCAL Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2018 Jul 3;320(1):43-52. doi: 10.1001/jama.2018.7464.(PubMed)
Self-Collection of the Pap Smear as Agency: A Novel Way to Improve Refractory Low Cervical Cancer Screening Rates in Rural Alabama | Cancerify