Self-collected versus clinician-collected samples for HPV testing: A meta-analysis revealing lower sensitivity for detecting high-grade cervical lesions

In conclusion, while specificity is comparable, this meta-analysis demonstrates that self-collected samples have significantly lower sensitivity for detecting HR-HPV and high-grade cervical lesions compared to clinician-collected samples. This suggests that self-sampling, in its current form, may be best utilized with complementary triage strategies or in settings where its logistical advantages outweigh the modest reduction in sensitivity for increasing screening coverage.