HPV DNA test identifies cervical pre-cancerous disease in developing countries with 90% su...( Results of the first study to determ...)

Results of the first study to determine the accuracy of a new rapid screening test for HPV (Human Papilloma Virus), created specifically for use in the developing world, have shown it to be 90 per cent accurate in detecting precancerous cervical disease when tested on a group of local women in Shanxi province, eastern China. The results, published online today (Monday 22 September) in Lancet Oncoloy, conclude that the test; careHPV, could provide an effective primary screening method for cervical cancer prevention in rural and low-resource settings.

Designed by Attila Lorincz - Professor of Molecular Epidemiology at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry - to be conducted in rural settings by personnel with minimal training, careHPV can detect 14 high-risk types of carcinogenic Human Papilloma Virus in around 2.5 hours. Cytologic screening available in North America and Europe where an appropriate infrastructure exists - has led to a 50 80 per cent reduction in mortality, but it has previously not been possible to translate this expertise to the developing world where taking smears properly and reading them has been problematic. Working in collaboration with the Program for Appropriate Technologies in Health (PATH, Seattle WA, USA) and funded by the Bill and Melina Gates Foundation to lead research into a new HPV DNA screening test which was rapid, simple, and affordable, Professor Lorincz created the careHPV test because there was no such provision deemed appropriate for use in low resource settings.

careHPV is a signal-amplification assay adapted from HC2 (the Hybrid Capture test, widely regarded as the gold standard routine HPV DNA test, and initially created by Professor Lorincz for use in developed countries). It requires only a small area (approximately 25cm x 30cm) of clean bench-top work space, no mains electricity or running water, and can be performed by non-technical support staff in approximately two and ha
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