The majority of cases of cervical cancer are primarily caused by HPV.
Researchers from the University College London in the UK and the Innsbruck University in Austria have created a more precise prediction test that can identify cell alterations that can result in cervical cancer.
Given that it can detect the DNA markers of various malignancies, this test may also have future use in the detection of other prevalent diseases such breast, womb, and ovarian cancer.
The test found that at least 55% of those with human papilloma virus (HPV) but no cell changes would develop cell changes after four years, according to findings reported in the journal Genome Medicine.
Additionally, the researchers that developed the test have previously claimed that they could identify ovarian and breast cancer, or at the very least predict its propensity to do so, using cervical cells from a standard smear test. Researchers now claim that this test outperforms existing techniques for locating women with advanced cell abnormalities who require treatment.
According to the report, recent studies have looked at DNA methylation, an additional layer of information that tells the body which parts of the DNA to read. According to scientists, this data may be used to both diagnose cancer and possibly forecast a person’s future risk of having it. But elements like being overweight, smoking, being exposed to pollution, and eating poorly can also change these markers and change how the cells behave.
1,254 cervical screening samples from women, ranging in risk from low to high, made up the data for this study. The samples from women who had HPV but had no cervical cell alterations as well as those from women who later developed high-risk cell changes within four years were also accounted for by this.
“Vaccination against the virus that causes cervical cancer is now widely implemented and is leading to changes in the amount and types of the virus circulating in the community,” said ULC professor from the department of women’s cancer, Martin Widschwendter. He added, that this in turn also calls for a change in approach for testing and building new “risk-predictive screening programmes around existing, effective cervical sample collection offers real potential for cancer prevention in the future.”
Athena Lamnisos, chief executive of the Eve Appeal charity, applauded this advancement and stated that this new procedure is more targeted and doesn’t result in over-treatment, which is fantastic news for everyone who needs to be screened as well as for preventing cervical cancer.
Gynaecological cancers are supported by the UK-based organisation by raising awareness and money. As someone who wants to prevent cancer, Lamnisos continued, these successful new technologies are welcomed.
Early detection is particularly helpful for cervical cancer.
Parvathy Sukumaran 
