The benefits and risks of different cervical cancer prevention approaches could help women to work with their physicians in order to put into practice appropriate screening strategies, it has been suggested.

Published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the study was led by staff at US academic institution the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

The researchers created a computerised model to simulate incidence of cervical cancer and various screening strategies were applied to it, web resource Medical News Today notes.

Scientists involved in the study aimed to identify positive and negative aspects of each technique.

"These strategies pose trade-offs between minimising cancer risk (already small with regular screening) and minimising the risk of false-positive test results and excessive diagnostic procedures," the stated.

Lifetime risk of developing cancer did not significantly vary using different screening techniques, but a plan offering more referrals for colposcopy reduced cancer incidence.

As such, the researchers state each woman should take her personal circumstances into consideration when deciding on the best screening method.

Login and visit the HPV & Cervical Cancer Knowledge Centre

• Study: Cervical cancer vaccine proves successful in treating genital warts 13/11/08
• New scanning process could aid cervical cancer detection, new research claims 21/10/08
• GSK to supply cervical cancer vaccine for national campaign 23/06/08
• Study reinforces new hope for earlier cervical cancer detection 28/05/08
• UK trial: Uptake of HPV vaccine 'encouraging' 25/04/08