Cervical cancer self-screening is expanding in B.C.

BC Cancer now mails self‑administered HPV test kits and reports higher first‑time screening rates; the province pairs this with vaccination programs that have already lowered precancer and cancer rates.

BC Cancer is now recommending and mailing self‑administered HPV test kits that people can use at home or in a clinical setting. The program, launched in January 2024, offers the HPV test alongside the traditional Pap test and has increased the number of people being screened for the first time. Cervical cancer is caused by persistent HPV infection, and the province combines screening with a long‑running vaccination program aimed at preventing the infection. Key facts: - The mailed kit uses a cotton swab inserted into the vagina for about 20 seconds; the swab is returned by mail and results are reported in roughly four to six weeks. - HPV is very common: BC Cancer reports about three in four unvaccinated people will be infected at some point. About 80–90% clear the infection within one to two years; 10–20% do not clear it and may develop precancerous cells within five to 10 years. - In a typical year in B.C. about 250 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 50–60 die; the five‑year survival rate when caught at the earliest stage is over 90%. - The HPV test detects the virus directly and is described as more sensitive than the Pap test; international and national bodies have advocated a transition to HPV testing. In B.C., people can choose a clinician‑collected Pap, a clinician‑collected HPV test, or to do the HPV self‑test themselves. - B.C. uses the Gardasil 9 vaccine in school programs and recently expanded publicly funded eligibility; the province reported about 68% of residents who turned 18 were up to date on the vaccine as of Jan. 1, 2026. BC Cancer says its organized screening program has reduced diagnosed cervical cancer by over 61% in the past 70 years and lowered mortality by 77% since 1955, an estimated 12,416 lives saved. Summary: The article reports that mailed, self‑administered HPV testing has improved access and increased first‑time screening in B.C., particularly for people facing barriers to clinic‑based tests. Officials and clinicians cited stronger detection with HPV testing and noted declines in precancers among vaccinated cohorts; further program developments were not specified, so the next steps are undetermined at this time.