The current state of DNA methylation biomarkers in self-collected liquid biopsies for the early detection of cervical cancer: a literature review
Sumiec et al.
The finding, in our words
This literature review found that DNA methylation markers on self-collected urine or cervicovaginal swabs detected cervical intraepithelial neoplasia as well as cytology. The combination could improve screening uptake and reduce loss to follow-up, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, though more evidence is needed to identify the most efficacious methylation tests.
A paraphrase to the Library’s standard, never the abstract. The source is one link away and is always the authority.
This review summarises how emerging HPV detection methods including CRISPR/Cas systems, droplet digital PCR and isothermal amplification, combined with self-collected vaginal swabs and liquid biopsy from urine or blood, could improve screening acceptability and enable point-of-care testing compared with conventional approaches that require invasive sampling and centralised laboratory infrastructure.
Shi et al., Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · source ↗
First-void urine is established as a reliable self-collected specimen for human papillomavirus screening, triage, and post-vaccination surveillance. The use of specialised collection devices and advanced molecular assays supports the integration of non-invasive sampling into routine cervical cancer prevention strategies.
Poljak et al., Journal of clinical microbiology · source ↗
The review concludes that first-void urine is a feasible source for molecular biomarkers, such as host and viral gene methylation, to triage high-risk HPV infections, offering a non-invasive and preferred method for women that may improve screening adherence.
Van Keer et al., European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology (paywalled) · source ↗
This meta-analysis found that HPV testing using self-collected vaginal and urine samples showed sensitivities of 88.6% and 81% for detecting cervical precancer. Using a standardised device for first-void urine increased sensitivity to 86.6%, supporting decentralised patient-centric screening, though data on specificity and specific commercial devices were not consistently reported.
Hsiao et al., The journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research (paywalled) · source ↗
This meta-analysis found that self-collected urine samples for HPV testing had lower sensitivity for detecting high-grade lesions compared to physician-collected cervical specimens. The use of a first-void collection device such as Colli-Pee was associated with marginally higher sensitivity than general urine sampling.
Chen et al., Journal of lower genital tract disease (paywalled) · source ↗