Molecular Test Can Identify Cancer-Causing Virus Before Disease Develops: Pathology Expert Discusses Protocol, Benefits of HPV Testing as Part of Cervical Cancer Screening

According to George Hollenberg, a leading NY-area pathologist and founder of Acupath Laboratories, a new type of molecular screening test can now confirm the presence of the virus known to cause cervical cancer -- the Human Papillomavirus, or HPV -- even when cancer has not yet developed.

Plainview, NY (PRWeb) January 2, 2007 -- Like mammograms and well-visits, an annual PAP test to screen for cervical cancer is a part of most American women's routine health examinations. However, a new type of molecular screening test can now confirm the presence of the virus known to cause cervical cancer -- the Human Papillomavirus, or HPV -- even when cancer has not yet developed.

"Molecular testing for the HPV virus is a big step forward in early diagnosis, early treatment and possibly even prevention of cervical cancer in America," notes Dr. George Hollenberg, MD, a leading pathology expert and founder of Acupath Laboratories in New York. Unlike a traditional PAP test, the molecular HPV test works by identifying the "DNA footprint" of the virus itself. "This test can tell us whether or not HPV is present, and if it is, it also can tell us if the HPV strain is one of the 13 high-risk types we know can cause cervical cancer -- out of more than 100 known strains of the virus," Dr. Hollenberg adds.

Numerous recent studies comparing this test, called the "HC2 High-Risk HPV DNA Test," with the newest liquid cytology PAP tests, confirm that the HPV test is a more reliable indicator that "dysplasia," or precancer, is present. In fact, in a study published in the April 2006 International Journal of Cancer, researchers analyzed the medical records of more than 60,000 women in Europe and North America. They found that the HPV test was far more sensitive in detecting early warning signs than the PAP test by a margin of 96 percent to 53 percent, respectively. In addition, the authors noted that the false-positive rate for PAP testing also is far higher than that of the new HPV test, leading to unneeded anxiety and fear for patients.

HPV: A Silent Scourge

"HPV infection is a largely silent threat to women's health," explains Dr. Hollenberg. "It's estimated that up to 80 percent of American women will be infected with some form of HPV by the time they're 50, but many strains of the virus -- including those high-risk strains associated with cervical cancer -- are symptomless," he adds. Of those 13 high-risk strains, two in particular have been identified as the cause of nearly 70 percent of all cervical cancer cases.

"Combining a traditional PAP test with the HPV test provides a clearer picture of a patient's current cervical health, as well as her risk of developing cervical cancer in the future," Dr. Hollenberg notes. While some doctors order the tests be run concurrently, others may order the PAP alone first, and retest using the molecular HPV test if the PAP tests are positive or inconclusive for cervical changes that may indicate cancer. Still more doctors are unaware of the proven effectiveness of the new HPV test, or simply opt not to utilize it. However, Dr. Hollenberg encourages women -- particularly those in the highest risk category of sexually active women ages 30-50 -- to ask their healthcare providers for an HPV test in addition to their annual PAP exam. "In most cases, both tests can be run using the same cell samples collected during a PAP screen," he points out. "What's more, because the HPV test reveals the existence of the virus that can cause cancer even before any cancer is present, the information gleaned from it can be critical in reducing the incidence of invasive cervical cancer diagnoses, as well as cervical cancer deaths," he concludes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov), approximately 10,000 American women will be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer this year, and nearly 4,000 women will die of the disease.

About Dr. George Hollenberg

Dr. George Hollenberg, M.D. is an authority in the fields of pathology, clinical pathology and dermatopathology with expertise in the areas of dysplastic nevi, melanoma, prostate and gastrointestinal cancer. Board-certified in Pathology and Dermatopathology, Dr. Hollenberg is a Fellow of the College of American Pathologists, The American Society of Dermatopathology and the AMA. He has published articles on skin, prostate and gastrointestinal cancer, and is the Consultant in Dermatopathology to The North Shore University Hospital Center. As the founding director of Acupath Laboratories, Inc., Dr. Hollenberg supervises the analysis of tens of thousands of biopsies per year, using the latest cutting-edge technology in histology and immunocytochemistry, as well as the latest advances in computerized report preparation.

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