According to research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, inexpensive PCR testing using samples from the cervix or vagina can diagnose womb cancer.
An innovative test for womb cancer could reduce the time required to diagnose women with the disease and the necessity for more intrusive diagnostic procedures.
According to research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, inexpensive PCR testing using samples from the cervix or vagina can diagnose womb cancer.
Currently, women in the United Kingdom who exhibit common womb cancer signs, such as abnormal vaginal bleeding, are offered a transvaginal ultrasound.
If doctors are concerned about the thickness of a woman’s uterine lining, she may be required to undergo unpleasant invasive examinations such as hysteroscopies or biopsies.
Researchers and advocates anticipate that the new diagnostic test will eliminate the need for invasive diagnostic procedures.
Professor Martin Widschwendter of the European Translational Oncology Prevention and Screening Institute at the University of Innsbruck and the UCL Women’s Cancer Department in the United Kingdom stated: “It was crucial for us that this research addressed all issues associated with current womb cancer detection methods.
Significantly fewer women with abnormal bleeding will require invasive diagnostic procedures if our test is used.
The Eve Appeal’s chief executive officer, Athena Lamnisos, stated: “This research shows great potential for lowering the time to diagnosis, giving an accurate diagnosis for everyone, and reducing the need for invasive and unpleasant procedures.
“It brings cancer detection earlier by one step.”
Early results indicate that the test is equally effective for all groups, independent of their age, race, menopausal status, cancer stage, grade, or type.
A big group of investigators from the United Kingdom and Europe collected 1,288 cervical screening samples from women with and without uterine cancer.
Only a few women without cancer received a positive result, making the test more specific than transvaginal ultrasounds, which had a specificity of 89%.
Prof. Widschwendter and his team at the University of Innsbruck and UCL created the new test, which was supported by the EU’s Horizon 2020 and European Research Council programs, The Eve Appeal, and the Tirol regional government of Austria.
