Devices for cervical cancer screening: a narrative review

Abstract

This research aimed to describe the scientific and patent literature on devices for visual inspection of the cervix in cancer screening. The searches were performed without time restriction in the PUBMED, ScienceDirect and Scopus databases. For patent review, the technological bases named The Lens, Patentscope/WIPO[1], Espacenet, USPTO[2], and INPI[3] were used. Based on the strategy (“Cervix Uteri” AND Neoplasms AND “Equipment and Supplies” AND Patent), sixty-four articles were identified, of which 61 were excluded and 03 selected for analysis. Considering four combinations of the terms “Schiller”, “lugol”, “iodine”, “cervical cancer test”, “device”, “gynecological test”, “sponge”, “cervical”, “cervical test”, “Schiller’s test” and “diagnostic”, three hundred and sixty-three patents were returned, of which 22 dealt with devices. Of these, nineteen were duplicates and 03 were selected for analysis. Considering the 03 articles and 03 patents selected for analysis, only 03 met the study objective, being 01 granted patent and 02 scientific articles. However, none of them represents a tool for the practice of visual inspection of the cervix through Schiller's test and visual inspection with acetic acid. Thus, the study showed the need for the development of new technologies focused on the practice of visual inspection of the cervix and strengthening of cervical cancer screening.