PCR test detects cervical precancerous lesions
Jena, Germany, May 25th 2022 – May 28 marks the 35th International Day of Action for Women’s Health. One “female” disease that should no longer exist due to the availability of modern cancer-screening methods is cervical cancer. One step in the direction of abolishing this form of cancer has been taken by the German life science company oncgnostics. It has namely developed a cancer-screening test called “GynTect”, which can predict whether cervical cancer will develop in a female‘s body.
What happens if the standard gynecologist cancer-screening[1] procedure ends in a positive result, indicating the presence of cancer? Since most abnormalities heal on their own, doctors tend to prefer closely monitoring of the patient and her condition following this test result. They repeat the test after a period of time, leaving these affected women with a highly uneasy feeling of uncertainty.
Cancer test provides certainty for HPV-positive women
By providing women with a clear test result based on real cancer markers, GynTect minimizes this psychologically stressful waiting time for affected women. This test reliably detects changes in the DNA present due to cancer-cell development. As with regular cancer screenings up until now, the gynecologist performs a Pap smear on the patient, taking a swab from the cervix. This sample is then sent to a lab where the PCR-based test is performed.
When GynTect cancer markers are found, women patients need proper and timely treatment. If there are no markers present, these patients can wait with far greater confidence as opposed to fear prior to their next gynecological examination.
“Whereas other lab tests detect HPV or use the microscope to see abnormal cells when analyzing the Pap-test sample, we look DIRECTLY into the cells’ DNA at the molecular level to determine whether cancer-typical changes are found”, says Dr. Martina Schmitz, co-founder and CSO at oncgnostics.
How cervical cancer develops
Cervical cancer almost always develops after an infection involving human papillomaviruses (HPV) and is sexually transmitted. By contrast, other factors such as environmental influences and genetic predisposition play more minor roles.
Compared to other cancer types, cervical cancer can fortunately take years or even decades to develop from an HPV infection. This means that if cancer screening is regularly performed, abnormalities will be found on time.
Regular cancer screening saves lives
Every year about 14,000 women develop cervical cancer[2] and over 5,700 women in the U.S. even die from the disease. Although regular screening is recommended[3], too few women take advantage of it. Some only go to the doctor when they have symptoms. By this time however, this disease can already exist. Resulting treatment can then be long, tedious and psychologically as well as physically exhausting, not to mention much more expensive. For further information and recommendations regarding cervical cancer screening, please go to the website at the American Cancer Society.
“We now have excellent possibilities of detecting cervical cancer at an early stage. Many women can be spared a lot of suffering. Therefore, all women should take advantage of regular screening”, concludes Dr. Martina Schmitz.
__________________
About oncgnostics GmbH:
oncgnostics GmbH has its headquarters in Jena, Germany and specializes in the early detection of cancer. Their cancer-screening tests reveal changes that are characteristic of cancer-cell DNA. Founded in 2012, the company launched GynTect in 2015. As part of this test‘s ability to detect cervical cancer earlier than other existing tests, it can determine whether cervical cancer or its precursors are present in a woman‘s body. GynTect is officially certified in Europe. oncgnostics GmbH is currently developing diagnostic tests for other types of cancer.
For more information, please visit www.oncgnostics.com/en
For free images, click onto the following weblinks: www.oncgnostics.com/downloads and www.tower-pr.com/oncgnostics
Contact:
oncgnostics GmbH
Löbstedter Str. 41
07749 Jena – Germany
Phone: +49 3641/5548550
[1] https://www.cancer.gov/types/cervical/patient/cervical-screening-pdq#_20
[2] https://hpvcentre.net/statistics/reports/USA_FS.pdf?t=1651740639439
[3] https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cervical-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/cervical-cancer-screening-guidelines.html#:~:text=Cervical%20cancer%20testing%20(screening)%20should,test%20alone%20every%203%20years
