According to the World Health Organization’s Global Cancer Observatory, India recorded 1.27 lakh cervical cancer cases and 79,979 deaths in 2022. A recent study by doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, suggests a breakthrough in monitoring treatment effectiveness for cervical cancer through a simple blood test.
This innovative research has revealed that fragments of the DNA from the human papillomavirus (HPV)—the primary cause of cervical cancer—are detectable in the blood. Notably, the concentration of HPV DNA correlates with tumor size and decreases as treatment progresses, offering a potential new way to track patient responses.
Why is this Study Significant?
Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer among women in India, with over 95% of cases linked to high-risk strains of HPV. Current screening methods are often cumbersome and costly, making this blood test an attractive alternative. Dr. Mayank Singh, an associate professor of medical oncology at AIIMS and one of the study’s authors, noted that the new approach could reduce testing costs and detect relapses sooner than traditional methods.
What the Study Found
The team used sensitive molecular tests to measure HPV DNA levels in a cohort of 60 cervical cancer patients before treatment, comparing them against 10 healthy women. They found that the average level of circulating viral DNA was 9.35 ng/µL in patients, significantly higher than the 6.95 ng/µL in healthy individuals. After three months of therapy, DNA levels dropped to 7 ng/µL, indicating a positive response to treatment.
If validated in larger trials, this test could serve not only for diagnosis but also for early detection, given that many patients present with advanced-stage disease when treatment becomes critical. Current diagnostic methods like Pap smears and visual inspection are limited, as biopsies are necessary for final staging.
The overall survival rate for cervical cancer in India stands at around 46%. However, preventive measures are promising, especially since cervical cancer can be prevented by vaccination. The government is considering introducing vaccinations for girls aged nine to 14 as part of its public health initiatives.
Comments are closed