A NEW test will predict whether a woman is at a risk of developing cervical cancer earlier than a smear test, scientists say.
Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) which means women who contract it need regular monitoring.
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Plus there are more than 200 HPVs associated with varying degrees of cancer risk, which can further complicate diagnosis and treatment.
But now researchers say they have come up with a new approach that not only detects the type of HPV infection, but also indicates precancerous marker.
Scientists have developed HPV RNA-Seq, a diagnostics procedure for the detection of high-risk HPV infection, and the identification of patients with lesions that are a precancerous stage of the cervix.
Their findings, published in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, show that the test may improve the ability to diagnose the riskiest forms of HPV infection.
They also found it could provide rapid results at low cost and help avoid unnecessary diagnostic procedures.
New procedure
The test was used to analyse samples from 55 patients, 28 with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and 27 patients with precancerous high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL).
It was able to detect and determine the type of HPV infection among a panel of 16 high-risk HPVs.
The procedure also detected two more HPV-positive patients than the DNA test and also identified more patients with multiple HPV infections, researchers say.
It was found to have a sensitivity – ability to detect the presence of an HPV – of 97.3 per cent, and negative predictive value (NPV) – likelihood of not having HPV – of 93.8 per cent.
Professor Marc Eloit of the Pathogen Discovery Laboratory, Biology of Infection Unit, Institute Pasteur, Paris, said: “Effective cervical cancer screening requires high sensitivity and NPV for high-risk HPV infection, since women with a negative HPV test are usually tested again only after several years.”
The 5 early signs you could have ‘silent killer’ cervical cancer
Early diagnosis is key when it comes to any form of cancer as it can increase the chance of survival – and cervical cancer is one of them.
Catch it at the earliest stage – stage 1 – and you have the highest chance of surviving it.
But get diagnosed at stage 4, and you’ve only got a 5 per cent chance of surviving five years or longer.
That’s why it’s absolutely crucial that you know what changes to look out for and get them tested ASAP.
1. Abnormal bleeding (during or after sex, between periods and also post-menopause)period
The most common and earliest sign of cervical cancer tends to be irregular bleeding.
It happens when the cancer cells grow on the tissue below the cervix.
It’s an especially alarming sign in postmenopausal women who no longer have periods. There’s no age limit to developing cervical cancer.
2. Unusual vaginal discharge
Everyone’s discharge is different, so it’s a case of knowing what is normal for you.
If you find that the colour, smell and consistency has changed, then that’s something you really need to have checked out.
When cancer lacks oxygen, it can cause an infection which leads to strange smelling discharge.
3. Discomfort or pain during sex
Pain during sex can be a sign of a number of different issues, but one is cervical cancer.
Because the disease often comes with no symptoms, pain during intercourse is one of the key indicators. It can be a sign that the cancer is spreading to surrounding tissues.
4. Lower back pain
It could be down to you straining something in the gym, or it could be a warning sign that something’s wrong with your reproductive organs.
Persistent pain – just one off twinges – in the lower back, pelvis or appendix can be a symptom of cervical cancer.
5. Unintended weight loss
While effortless weight loss might sound like the answer to many of our prayers, it’s never a good sign if it happens seemingly without cause.
A loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss tend to be signs that the body isn’t working properly – it’s trying to conserve energy. If you notice that you’re not eating as you normally do, go to your GP.
Cytology is used as a rapid method to triage patients with HPV, while the more invasive histology is considered the gold standard for cervical cancer diagnosis.
To determine if the new test has a place in cervical cancer triage, the investigators also compared cytology to HPV RNA-Seq and found markers of high-grade cytology, with encouraging diagnostic performances of HPV-RNA-Seq as a triage test.
“This observation constitutes a solid argument in favour of a potential added medical value of HPV RNA-Seq compared with cytology,” added Prof Eloit.
Prof Eloit suggests the use of HPV RNA-Seq in certain patients can help eliminate unnecessary procedures.
The test may also be applicable for other HPV-associated cancers such as anal cancer and head and neck cancer.
It emerged over the weekend that Boris Johnson’s estranged wife Marina Wheeler is recovering from cervical cancer – undergoing two operations after routine screenings revealed abnormal cells.
Ms Wheeler, who separated from Mr Johnson last year, has now urged other women to make time for a test.
She told the Sunday Times: “If you are basically healthy, active and energetic, it is easy to think you are immortal, but none of us is.”
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