Researchers believe
that a new preventative cancer treatment could be developed after they discovered which cervical cells were
more susceptible to the human papillomavirus (HPV).
An international team at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and clinics in
Singapore, found those cells most likely to develop into tumours when exposed
to HPV had a specific DNA structure which doctors could use to identify and
remove them.
This could drastically lower the likelihood of a women developing cervical
cancer, as it is HPV which is responsible for the majority of cases.
Jessica Harris, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said the
report aids understanding of the origins of cervical cancer and may allow
doctors to improve their treatment of the disease in the future.
However, she stressed that vaccination and screening remain an effective way of
preventing cervical cell changes and subsequent cancers.
According to the charity, around 900 women die from the disease every year in
the UK.
© Adfero Ltd
Cancer treatment news : 13 June 2012
