Researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (New Delhi, India) have found a blood test that can keep track of whether a cervical cancer treatment is working or if it has relapsed.
Researchers detected fragments of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA— the primary cause of most cervical cancer cases— circulating in the bloodstream. The amount of these fragments corresponded with tumour size and decreased as patients underwent treatment, reflecting cancer’s response to therapy, The Indian Express reported.
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Doctors used a very sensitive molecular test to detect trace amounts of DNA of the two most common high-risk HPV strains — HPV16 and HPV18. Blood samples were collected from 60 cervical cancer patients (Stages I–IV) at AIIMS, New Delhi, both before treatment and three months after completing therapy. Additionally, samples from 10 healthy individuals were included as controls.
The average level of circulating viral DNA in the cancer patients was 9.35 ng/µL (a measure of concentration) while it was 6.95 ng/µL among healthy women. The doctors were also able to show that after three months of treatment, the level of circulating DNA reduced to 7 ng/µL, the Indian Express report added.
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“Cancer patients have to repeatedly undergo tests and scans to keep track of whether their cancer is responding to treatment and whether they remain cancer-free afterwards. Using the blood test instead can reduce this cost, with only those who have elevated biomarkers undergoing the full body scans,” said Dr Mayank Singh, one of the authors and associate professor of medical oncology at AIIMS. “Sometimes the blood biomarkers can show up before tumours become visible on scans — so this may even help in detecting relapses sooner as well,” he added.
Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer among women in India. According to WHO data, over 1.27 lakh cases were reported in 2022, resulting in approximately 80,000 deaths. Over 95% of these cases are linked to persistent infections with high-risk HPV strains
