Olomouc Faculty Hospital launches HPV screening program

The Faculty Hospital Olomouc (FNOL) has joined a pilot screening program to detect oropharyngeal cancers, which include tumors in the mouth, throat, tonsils, and larynx. Medical experts note a rising global trend in these cancers, particularly among individuals over 40, a trend largely attributed to human papillomavirus (HPV) infections.

The screening process is designed to be simple and non-invasive. Participants can undergo testing by simply gargling with water, which provides a biological sample for laboratory analysis. Samples are processed at the Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine at Palacký University Olomouc to check for the presence of HPV.

According to Iva Voborná, head of the Clinic of Dentistry at FNOL, a positive HPV result does not automatically indicate cancer, as many high-risk infections resolve on their own. However, positive findings trigger follow-up testing and further monitoring to assess the risk of cancer development. The program aims to help experts estimate the size of the at-risk population in the Czech Republic and evaluate the necessity of similar large-scale studies.