The Screener

Awards

The Delphi Screener was designed by gynecologists in the Netherlands and has been used by women around the world who have chosen not to get a Pap smear for various reasons. The Delphi Screener is an accurate and female-friendly alternative to Pap smear and has won numerous awards for its design and ease of use. Watch the video below to see the design and how it works.

What is cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is a common cancer that can affect any sexually active woman. Abnormal cells can form on the skin of the cervix, and these cells can become cancerous. If detected early enough they can be safely removed, otherwise there is a risk of a potentially fatal cancer. The current way to screen for cervical cancer is Pap smear which is an un-popular procedure with many women because it can be painful and needs to be performed by a doctor.

What is a Pap smear?

A pap smear is obtained by a doctor or nurse during a pelvic examination in the clinic using a speculum (duck bill). It is an invasive test which can cause discomfort. Collected cells are researched under a microscope (cytology) by a pathologist. Only if a significant abnormality in the Pap smear is detected, the woman is referred to the gynaecologist for further tests. Many women do not have a regular Pap smear test because of the discomfort and inconvenience. This is why many women do not get optimal protection from the Pap smear screening program.

How does it work?

The Delphi Screener is prefilled with a small amount (teaspoon) of sterile water, which is released into the cervix area and then returns inside the screener. A certified laboratory will run the test on your sample. Your doctor will contact you on the test outcome and advise you accordingly.

Who can use the Delphi Screener?

Doctors in Singapore and around the region are now offering the Delphi Screener to women who do not regularly go for Pap smear screening or have never been screened before. The Delphi Screener can be used by any sexually active women aged between 25 to 69 years old.

Scientific publications and presentations with the Delphi Screener.

1. High concordance of results of testing for Human Papillomavirus in cervicovaginal samples collected by two methods, with comparison of a novel self-sampling device to a conventional endocervical brush.
A.A.T.P. Brink et al. – Journal of Clinical Microbiology 2006, 44(7); 2518-2523

2. Women in the Netherlands prefer self-sampling with a novel lavaging device to clinician collection of specimen for cervical cancer screening.
Heidi E. Jones et al. – Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2008, 35(11); 916–917

3. HPV testing on self collected cervicovaginal lavage specimens as screening method for women who do not attend cervical screening: cohort study.
Murat Gök et al. – BMJ 2010, 340; c1040

4. Self collected HPV testing acceptability: Comparison of two self sampling modalities.
Sarah Igidbashian et al. – Journal of Womens Health 2011, 20(3); 397-402

5. Self-sampling versus reminder letter: effects on cervical cancer screening attendance and coverage in Finland.
Anni Virtanen et al – International Journal of Cancer 2011, 128 (11); 2681–2687

6. Self-sample HPV test as an intervention for nonattendees of cervical cancer screening in Finland: a randomized trial.
Anni Virtanen et al – Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011, 20(9):1960-1969

7. Detection of cervical neoplasia by DNA methylation analysis in cervico-vaginal lavages, a feasibility study. Jasper Eijsink et al. – Gynecologic Oncology 2011, 120 (2); 280-283

8. The effect of self-sampled HPV testing on participation to cervical cancer screening in Italy: a randomised controlled trial.
Giorgi Rossi et al. – Br J Cancer – 2011, 104 (2); 248–254

9. Cervico-Vaginal Self-Sampling is a Reliable Method to Determine the Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus Genotypes in Women Aged 20 to 30 Years.
Yvonne Deleré et al – Journal of Clinical Microbiology – 2011,49 (10); 3519 – 3522

10. Offering self-sampling for human papillomavirus testing to non-attendees of the cervical screening programme: Characteristics of the responders.
Murat Gök et al. – European Journal of Cancer 2011, 48(12); 1799-1808

11. The acceptability of a self-lavaging device compared to pelvic examination for cervical cancer screening among low income women in New York City.
Heidi E. Jones et al. – Journal of Women’s Health 2012, 21(12): 1275-1281

12. High-risk HPV testing on self-sampled versus clinician-collected specimens: a review on the clinical accuracy and impact on population attendance in cervical cancer screening.
Peter J.F. Snijders et al. – International Journal of Cancer ; doi: 10.1002/ijc.27790