An inexpensive, easy test that changes the color of precancerous tissue could be used to screen women for cervical cancer and its precursors in geographic areas where Pap smears may not be available, according to a study of African women by researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of Zimbabwe.
Tissue harboring precancerous lesions turns white when exposed to vinegar.
The test identified almost twice as many cases of disease as did Pap smears. A simple screening test such as this is urgently needed, the authors say, because only 5 percent of women in developing countries are routinely screened for cervical cancer compared to up to 70 percent in industrialized nations. Even in countries where Pap smear-based screening is available, it is often done only in urban settings or in the private sector, which serves a relatively small proportion of the female population. This technique easily could be used by health care workers in areas with limited resources. The women ranged in age from 25 to 55 and were not pregnant.