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New Guidance Says Doctors Should Discuss Vaping as One Option to Help Adults Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the best things a person can do for their health—but it's also one of the hardest habits to break. Many smokers make several attempts before they successfully quit, even when using medications or nicotine replacement products. Now, a panel of tobacco treatment experts is encouraging healthcare providers to expand the conversation about smoking cessation by discussing nicotine e-cigarettes as one possible option for adults who smoke cigarettes. The recommendations, published in JAMA , were developed by the Harm Reduction Work Group of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco’s Treatment Research Network. Rather than promoting vaping, the group says clinicians should focus on helping patients choose the quit-smoking method that best fits their individual circumstances. A Personalized Approach to Quitting Smoking cessation isn't the same for everyone. What works well for one person may not work for another, which is why the authors recommend mo...
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HPV test more sensitive than PAP smear for detecting cervical cancer lesions


Findings from researchers, published in the British Medical Journal, reveal that HPV (human papillomavirus) testing is more sensitive for detecting precancerous lesions that can lead cervical cancer, compared to PAP smear. Dr Ahti Anttila at the Finnish Cancer Registry who led research says the findings that HPV testing is more sensitive than PAP smear are important for cervical cancer prevention.

In a trial of 58,282 women aged 30-60, HPV testing detected more precancerous cells than routine cytology exam performed with a traditional PAP smear.

Women were studied between 2003 and 2008 in Finland and randomly assigned to a routine PAP smear or an HPV test. For women with positive HPV testing, further screening was conducted. Traditional cancer screening using a PAP smear was inferior for detecting cervical lesions that could lead to cancer compared to HPV testing.

Over a period of five years the women were tracked. The number of pre cancerous cells (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or CIN III+)detected with HPV testing in the study was small, but the researchers concluded "considering the high probability of progression of CIN III lesions in women aged 35 years or more, our results are important for prevention of cervical cancer."

HPV is sexually transmitted and affects young women and adolescents. HPV can lead to cervical cancer, while some forms cause genital warts. Based on the high sensitivity for detecting precancerous lesions in the cervix, the researchers say gradual incorporation of HPV testing for prevention of cervical cancer is justified.

BMJ 2010;340:c1804

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