New optical system improves detection of precancerous cervical changes

A new optical detection system, used in conjunction with colposcopy, improves detection of precancerous changes of the cervix by more than 26% over colposcopy alone, according to a randomized, multicenter clinical trial of more than 2,000 women presented at the SGO meeting in San Diego, Calif.

The researchers found that the detection system with colposcopy identified 238 cases of biopsy-confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 and 3, whereas colposcopy alone identified 218. The authors calculated that this difference would translate into about 100,000 additional cases of precancer being identified each year. Not only would this help prevent unnecessary deaths, but it would also reduce the number of women requiring biopsy.

Gold MA, Walker JL, Huh WK, et al. Optical detection of cervical neoplasia: results from a randomized, dual-arm, multi-center clinical trial. Abstract 10.