Portable Colposcopy a promising means for cervical cancer screening for low- and middle-income countries: A review

Abstract

Cervical cancer is a prevalent cancer, particularly affecting women in LMICs nations due to limited access to screening and diagnostic services. This gap in healthcare accessibility necessitates the development of affordable and accurate screening methods. This review  explores the challenges faced by LMICs in cervical cancer screening and the potential of portable colposcopy technologies to address these limitations. Various screening methods, including Pap smears, HPV genotyping, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), and colposcopy, were developed, each with its advantages and limitations. Recent advancements in portable colposcopy, such as the Pocket colposcope, Gynocular colposcope, SmartScope, Enhanced Visual Assessment (EVA), and Gyneye, offer promising solutions with portability, affordability, and comparable diagnostic accuracy to traditional colposcopes. Integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning further enhances diagnostic capabilities. Despite progress, challenges such as awareness, infrastructure, and economic constraints persist. Collaborative efforts are needed to address these challenges and ensure the widespread adoption of portable colposcopes, ultimately decreasing the global weight of cervical cancer and saving lives.