The molecular test, twice as effective as conventional cytology in detecting precancerous cervical lesions, has been available since mid-July in a prevention program funded by the National Health Service.
Izabela Leszczyna: It's a "game changer"
Published July 18, 2025 07:22
On Thursday, Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna visited the National Cancer Institute to reiterate with experts the good and important news that the HPV HR molecular test and liquid cytology were included in the publicly funded cervical cancer prevention program.
Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna stressed at Thursday's conference that this is a "game changer" in cervical cancer prevention. - Often we don't come for tests because we are afraid of the results. The molecular test allows us to detect a virus that can only make us sick," Leszczyna pointed out. The minister appealed to Polish women to take advantage of the tests (at the moment, only a small number, 11-13 percent of eligible women, show up for examinations under the program, and even though it is known that overall more women are tested, because some do it in the private sector, we still stand out clearly from the EU average). The examinations are available in 2,700 gynecological clinics that have a contract with the National Health Service.
Experts stressed that until now, the tests made available in the public system were only offered by the private sector and were expensive. They are now set to become a staple of cervical cancer prevention, although for a year, classic cytology will be available alongside these tests in the prevention program, and a woman will be able to choose the type of test.
Andrzej Nowakowski, MD, explained that the molecular test has nearly twice the ability to detect precancerous lesions of the cervix than conventional cytology, which is cytology taken on a basic slide. - It allows double the detection of precancerous conditions and cervical cancer, he added. The sensitivity of the classic cytology test oscillates between 50-60 percent, while the sensitivity of the molecular test is 95 percent. The test detects, among other things, the most oncogenic HPV genotypes.
During the conference, dedicated to the prevention of cervical cancer, the topic of HPV vaccination could not be missed. Although they are the best method of eliminating the disease, it is known that population effects will have to wait, especially since the level of vaccination of children and adolescents is very low. Experts are now calling for a rapid raising of the upper age limit for participation in the program - to 19 - so that young people have a chance to make the decision on their own, guided, among other things, by the knowledge they will gain in health education classes. They also reminded that every year 1,800 women in Poland die from cervical cancer, and there are more HPV-related cancers - and men also die from infection with the virus, which vaccination effectively defends against.
