As reported by the BBC, researchers are exploring whether testing menstrual blood could offer a new way to screen for cervical cancer, potentially providing a more convenient and less invasive option than current methods
The study, published in The BMJ, examined a test that can be carried out at home using blood collected during a period on a cotton strip attached to a standard sanitary pad. The researchers said the approach could offer an accurate alternative to existing screening techniques.
Interest in new testing options comes amid ongoing challenges with screening uptake. Under the current NHS programme, cervical screening involves a clinician taking a sample of cells from the cervix, yet around a third of women invited do not attend their appointments.
The NHS has already begun offering home testing kits in some parts of England to women who have repeatedly missed screening. These kits use a vaginal swab and are due to be rolled out more widely later this year.
Cervical cancer charities have welcomed research into gentler testing methods, saying they could help improve access to screening, while stressing that the findings are still at an early stage. The researchers behind the study said testing period blood could prove to be a robust alternative if further evidence supports its use.
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