Cervical Cancer Detector Outperforms Pap Test

A study has demonstrated that prototypes of a noninvasive cervical cancer detection device detected 25% more disease than Pap tests. Unlike Pap or HPV tests, the new device does not require a tissue sample or laboratory analysis. The study was published in the Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease (2001;5:2).

The study, involving 111 women, 18-73 years old, showed that prototype performance was not affected by age, history of childbirth, or previous cervical surgical history. The detection device was developed by Spectrx, Inc. (Norcross, GA, USA) and Welch Allyn, Inc. (Skaneateles Falls, NY, USA). The device uses proprietary biophotonic technology to locate cancers and precancers by analyzing light reflected from the cervix.

The reflected light creates an image of the cervix indicating the location and severity of the disease. The technology distinguishes between normal and diseased tissue by detecting biochemical and morphologic changes at the cellular level. The data from the patients in the study were compared with colposcopy and biopsy. The results showed that the new detector device was able to distinguish low-grade and high-grade precancers as well as their locations on the cervix.

"The initial indications that this technology can potentially detect significantly more disease than the current methods is extremely encouraging,” said Raymond A. Lawhead, M.D., co-principal investigator of the study. "As such, the technology has the potential to be an important weapon in the war on cancer by providing early detection while the patient is in the doctor's office.”





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Welch Allyn