Overview
- In a cross-sectional study of 3,068 women in Hubei, China, minipad-collected menstrual blood detected CIN2+ with 94.7% sensitivity versus 92.1% for clinician samples, with slightly lower specificity (89.1% vs 90.0%) and identical negative predictive value (99.9%).
- Participants collected samples at home using a standardized pad-mounted cotton strip, and a WeChat-linked Early Test app delivered results and coordinated follow-up, demonstrating operational feasibility.
- Study authors describe the approach as a standardized, noninvasive alternative or potential replacement for current screening and say the evidence supports considering integration into national guidelines.
- Cancer Research UK and the Eve Appeal welcomed the accessibility potential but cautioned that the method is not suitable for everyone, including many postmenopausal people, and should expand options rather than replace existing pathways.
- Some clinicians highlight practical limits compared with FDA-authorized vaginal self-swabs, noting menstrual collection works only during menstruation and lacks large head-to-head comparisons, and no national program has adopted it.