Unmet need:
According to WHO, cervical cancer represents the fourth most common female cancer world-wide, with approximately 600,000 new cases as well as 300,000 deaths in 2020 alone (see WHO). Cervical cancer screening efforts aim to detect cancerous lesions in the cervix to enable earlier treatment. The main screening modalities include a Pap test as well as HPV testing, which can be used in combination (see Uptodate). Despite these promising avenues for early diagnosis and intervention, improved diagnostic assays may increase sensitivity and provide a mortality benefit. Therefore, there is a clinically unmet need to develop more sensitive approaches to detect the early signs of cervical cancer and improve survival rates.
Technology Overview:
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have developed a Quantitative Multiplex Methylation-Specific PCR assay to distinguish cancer and high grade intraepithelial lesions from benign and normal cervical tissue as well as PAP smears.
Stage of development:
Experimental data is available.
Publications:
