Status
Ongoing
Project acroniem
ESSAG
Under the coordination of Ghent University, the Belgian Cancer Registry (BCR) is working with Flemish academic general practitioner centres, Sciensano and the Centrum voor Kankeropsporing (CvKO) (Flemish Centre for Cancer Screening) to evaluate the potential and clinical outcomes of strategies for offering self-testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) for cervical cancer screening in Flanders.
Currently, about a third of the target population does not use the screening services in Flanders, partly due to socio-economic factors. In addition, the World Health Organisation recommends HPV detection as the first screening test rather than the current smear test.
The ESSAG-study aims to evaluate an intervention to better help women who have not been screened for cervical cancer for a long time (at least six years) to make an informed choice about screening and provide them with low-threshold access to screening via a self-test for HPV detection if they wish to be screened.
The research design consists of a Randomised Clinical Trial (RCT) with three study arms, clustered by general medical practice. The intervention groups are divided as follows: (1) active recruitment during a consultation with their GP, and (2) dispatch of the self-test to their home by their GP. The control group receives the standard population screening invitation from the CvKO.
CvKO and BCR data help with the targeted recruitment of GP practices and their patients. The RCT data are linked to data on participation in screening (self-testing or otherwise) and its clinical outcomes. In addition, the association with socioeconomic status will be studied at an aggregate level via a link with the Crossroads Bank for Social Security (CBSS).
The results of the ESSAG-studie will be published in scientific journals and reported to Kom op tegen Kanker (Stand up to Cancer) as the project’s sponsor. This project will provide important information for the future organisation of the Vlaams Bevolkingsonderzoek Baarmoederhalskanker (Flemish Cervical Cancer Screening Programme), which will also communicate the study results to the Flemish Government and the target group.
Currently, about a third of the target population does not use the screening services in Flanders, partly due to socio-economic factors. In addition, the World Health Organisation recommends HPV detection as the first screening test rather than the current smear test.
The ESSAG-study aims to evaluate an intervention to better help women who have not been screened for cervical cancer for a long time (at least six years) to make an informed choice about screening and provide them with low-threshold access to screening via a self-test for HPV detection if they wish to be screened.
The research design consists of a Randomised Clinical Trial (RCT) with three study arms, clustered by general medical practice. The intervention groups are divided as follows: (1) active recruitment during a consultation with their GP, and (2) dispatch of the self-test to their home by their GP. The control group receives the standard population screening invitation from the CvKO.
CvKO and BCR data help with the targeted recruitment of GP practices and their patients. The RCT data are linked to data on participation in screening (self-testing or otherwise) and its clinical outcomes. In addition, the association with socioeconomic status will be studied at an aggregate level via a link with the Crossroads Bank for Social Security (CBSS).
The results of the ESSAG-studie will be published in scientific journals and reported to Kom op tegen Kanker (Stand up to Cancer) as the project’s sponsor. This project will provide important information for the future organisation of the Vlaams Bevolkingsonderzoek Baarmoederhalskanker (Flemish Cervical Cancer Screening Programme), which will also communicate the study results to the Flemish Government and the target group.
Cancer screening