BANGKOK: Researchers in Thailand have developed a simple, accurate, and fast urine test kit for early detection of cervical cancer to save lives, and improve and cut treatment costs.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) paper-based DNA sensor testing kits for cervical cancer, developed by a group of five researchers from the Department of Chemistry at the Faculty of Science of Chulalongkorn University, has been tested and showed a high level of accuracy with a sensitivity of 85 per cent.
The kit also showed specificity of 78 per cent and reproducibility rate of 100 per cent, Prof. Dr. Orawan Chailapakul, one of the researchers, said.
“The project started eight years ago. The inspiration for the invention came when we see people around us suffering from the HPV disease.
“I wish I could develop a device that can be used for the early detection,” she told Bernama in an interview here.
At present, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer of women in Thailand after breast cancer, with an incidence rate of 10,000 new cases per year affecting women between the age of 30 and 60.
Cervical cancer is also one of the leading causes of deaths in Thailand, claiming as many as 5,000 lives each year.
Thai Public Health Ministry recommends screening for cervical cancer every five years for women 25 years old and above.
However, many women are deterred by the rather high cost of test and the pap smear testing method. This leads to late detection that can cause cancer to spread, thus making it harder to treat.
The HPV paper-based DNA sensor testing kits are easier to use, and results can be obtained much faster than Pap Smear or Pap Tests that are currently commonly in use.
It eliminates the need to insert a tool and hold the vaginal walls open as well as swabbing over the cervix to take cell samples that are sent to the lab for testing.
Dr Orawan said the test kits for HPV DNA use PNA (Peptide Nucleic Acid), a synthetic substance that imitates our DNA, and designed to target specific cancer-causing strains of the virus.
“The urine sample is mixed in a solution and then dropped onto the paper, after which we notice the change in the colour of the solution.
“Normally, the colour of the solution is bright red; but if the urine is contaminated by the virus, the colour appears lighter. The brightness of the color varies according to the amount of the virus. We have an additional tool, used with the colourimeter application on smartphones that helps make the colour more visible” she said.
Dr Orawan said the research team hopes the innovation will motivate more women to get themselves tested regularly, with a simple and painless process, at an affordable price – not exceeding 500 baht.
“We’d like to see women getting cervical cancer tests regularly as advised by the Public Health Ministry. Therefore, we have tried to make the cost of these kits as low as possible in order to make them easily accessible, she said.
It would also be ideal if women can be tested regularly’ for example, once a month, at a health centre nearby, she added.
Meanwhile, Dr Orawan said the HPV Testing Kits have not been produced for home use; however, it is being used in health centres and community hospitals.
“We are still developing the amplification part,” she said.-Bernama
