Early screening and right investigations important for cervical cancer
The research also stated that there is a need for implementation of a high throughput technology for cervical cancer that can be scalable.
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CHENNAI: Early screening and right approach of medical investigations can reduce the complications and eliminate the need of unnecessary investigations for cervical cancer, a research by a team of oncologists and experts at the Department of Preventive Oncology at Cancer Institute revealed recently.
There is a need for the implementation of a national government-sponsored public health policy in South India, experts said.
The research also stated that there is a need for implementation of a high throughput technology for cervical cancer that can be scalable.
Dr Vijayalakshmi Ramshankar, Department of Preventive Oncology (Research) at Cancer Institute unveiled research titled “Impact of HPV molecular testing with partial genotyping as a feasibility study in cervical cancer community screening program in South India” recently.
The study involved a group of 10,395 women who were administered the HPV DNA test.
The study showed that high‐risk HPV was found in 5.73 percent women.
A total of 127 women were found to be infected with HPV 16, 36 women with HPV 18 and 382 women with the 12 pooled high‐risk HPV and multiple mixed infections were found in 50 women.
They used the Cobas 4800, a multiplexed assay based on quantitative polymerase chain reaction technology, identifying HPV 16 and HPV 18 along with the concurrent detection of 12 pooled other high‐risk HPV infections for testing.
Dr Vijayalakshmi said, “Elimination of cervical cancer in a country like India relies on three crucial pillars: screening, treatment, and vaccination. The Cobas HPV test offers individual results for HPV 16 and HPV 18, along with a combined result for other high-risk genotypes, all obtained from a single patient sample in a single run. By delivering comprehensive 3-in-1 results, healthcare providers can effectively assess the risk level of patients and make confident decisions regarding patient management.”
The study showed that the high negative predictive value of the Cobas HPV can help in increasing the screening efficiency of identifying only clinically relevant infections with high-risk HPV eliminating unnecessary further intervention in nearly 94 percent of the women.
It was observed that there was a high prevalence of high‐risk HPV in younger women, 30–40 years of age and a second peak was observed at 46–50 years of age. The second peak had higher mixed infections in the 46–50 years of age and this association was statistically significant. The study has found that 48 percent of the multiple mixed high‐risk HPV infections were in the age group 46–50 years.
Dr Jayashree Natarajan, Assistant Professor in Gynecological Oncology at the Cancer Institute (WIA) in Adyar said that by incorporating comprehensive vaccination programs alongside robust screening processes and treating the already infected, we can strive for a holistic solution that reaches every corner of our nation."