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HPV DNA Testing
Self-sampling Kit for HPV DNA
You can purchase a self-sampling kit, also known as an HPV DNA test, every Wednesday from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM for 1500 CZK at the Patient Information Center at Apolinář – we are located on the ground floor next to the ultrasound records; upon entering the building, turn left.
You will then collect the sample yourself discreetly in the restroom. Submit the sample at the Center, and a nurse will call you with the results within 2–3 weeks. If the laboratory confirms the presence of an HPV infection, the nurse will immediately schedule you at the Oncology Prevention Center here at the clinic, where a doctor will explain everything and propose a course of action. Examinations for women who test positive are covered by public health insurance. The sale of self-sampling kits generates no profit for the Patient Organization VERONICA; you only pay for the laboratory testing costs.
Contact: hippokrates@veronikacibulova.cz, tel.: +420 601 222 929
HPV DNA Testing Kit: The Key to Early Detection of Cervical Cancer Risk
In the Czech Republic, cervical cancer is diagnosed in approximately 750 women each year, and about 300 women die from this malignant tumor (source: ÚZIS). The disease can affect women of any age and is almost always caused by a long-lasting infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV). Affected women usually do not notice the disease because the early stages have no specific symptoms.
All women from the age of 15 are entitled to an annual gynecological examination, which includes a Pap smear to detect cellular changes on the cervix. However, cytological smears may not be entirely accurate, as changes can be caused and influenced by a variety of factors. To achieve higher accuracy in screening, funded viral infection testing (so-called HPV DNA test) has been introduced for women aged 35, 45, and 55 + 364 days. For women over 30, it would be advisable to perform an HPV test every 5 years, which is not yet covered by health insurance. At the same time, there are many women in the Czech Republic who, for various reasons, do not visit a gynecologist or have missed the opportunity for HPV DNA testing covered by insurance, especially if they are over 55. For all such women, it is highly recommended to undergo an HPV DNA test as self-payers to obtain highly accurate information about their risk of cervical cancer.
“The HPV DNA test in the form of a self-test is an exceptionally sensitive and highly effective method to determine the risk of presence or development of cervical cancer. Moreover, a negative result means that the risk of developing severe precancerous changes or cervical cancer itself is extremely low for at least 3–5 years. It is a simple and cost-effective test suitable for every woman over 30 years of age,” explains Prof. MUDr. Jiří Sláma, Ph.D., Head Physician of the Oncogynecology Department and Deputy Chief of the Clinic of Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Neonatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague.
Project ASTRA
In February 2024, the ASTRA program (Ambulatory Swab Against Cancer) was launched under the auspices of the Patient Organization VERONICA. It is a pilot cervical cancer screening project aimed at introducing human papillomavirus genome detection using self-sampling kits for women who have not participated in existing screening programs for a long time. HPV tests are then analyzed using PCR technology in a certified laboratory. The ASTRA project was approved by the Central Ethics Committee in Hradec Králové. Anonymous data from the ASTRA project will be evaluated by ÚZIS – the National Screening Center.
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