Pap Test Fluids May Contain DNA Useful for Endometrial, Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis

Cervical fluid samples gathered during routine Papanicolaou (Pap) tests can potentially be used for screening test women for endometrial and ovarian cancers, according to a study published March 21 in Science Translational Medicine. While the PapSEEK test needs validation in a large, prospective study, the authors are hopeful that the test’s ability to detect DNA mutations associated with gynecological cancers can lead to earlier detection and, hopefully, improved outcomes. Previous studies have shown that endometrial and ovarian cancers shed cells that collect at the cervix, thus making DNA samples feasible to be collect during routine Pap testing. In the present study, researchers from Johns Hopkins University analyzed 1,958 samples collected from 1,658 women, including 658 endometrial or ovarian cancer patients and 1,002 healthy controls. Pap brush samples were obtained from 382 endometrial cancer patients and 245 ovarian cancer patients. Additionally, samples using a Tao brush, which extends further into the cervical canal and collects cells closer to where the cancers could originate, were collected in 123 endometrial cancer patients and 51 ovarian cancer patients studied. Analysis of samples examined mutations in 18 genes, which are highly or commonly mutated in endometrial or ovarian cancers, and aneuploidy using a polymerase chain […]