Detects 90-100% of endometrial cancer cases
BARCELONA, August 25 (Benin News) –
Researchers from the Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge (Idibell), the Catalan Institute of Oncology and the University of Innsbruck (Austria) have designed and tested a new non-invasive self-sampling system that “ could advance the diagnosis of endometrial cancer by one year”.
The new method, a study of which was published in the journal Journal of Clinical Oncology, involves an epigenetic test that measures the level of methylation of two specific genes in cervical cytology samples, Idibell said in a statement Thursday. .
Methylations are DNA modifications that turn gene expression on or off. Samples can be obtained by lightly scraping the cervix in the doctor’s office, using a small tampon-like device that the patient can use at home.
The results published in the journal show that, depending on the system used to obtain the sample, this new strategy can detect between 90% and 100% of endometrial cancer cases.
According to Laura Costas, project manager and principal investigator of the infections and cancer group at Idibell and the Institut Català d’Oncologia, it would be possible to use this method to diagnose endometrial cancer in populations at risk.
ONE OF THE MOST COMMON CANCERS
Endometrial cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. It affects more than 400,000 women a year worldwide and current diagnostic methods are invasive and painful, most often by endometrial biopsies.
According to Mr. Costas, this test worked well on both the samples taken by the medical staff in the clinic and on the vaginal self-samples taken by the patient at home: “With this new system, we can reduce the pressure of the care and the need for a first referral to a specialist and thus contribute to a faster diagnosis”.
This is a multidisciplinary study involving a wide range of cohorts to thoroughly assess the potential of the new methodology. She suggests that the strategy could be beneficial in two risk groups: postmenopausal women with gynecological bleeding and women with Lynch syndrome.
The researchers proposed to conduct cost-effectiveness studies and analyze large cohorts of these endometrial cancer risk groups before implementing this new diagnostic method.
The study showed “very encouraging” results, according to the researchers, on the usefulness of this method in the general population, excluding risk, since it also made it possible to identify this year before its diagnosis, and for the Future trials are underway to evaluate similar tests for the diagnosis of other gynecological cancers.