Method to check cancer vulnerability introduced for Kenyan women

NAIROBI: Sexually active women can now find out if they have the deadly sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer.

A new technology, dubbed Cobas, which tests for the presence of the human papilloma virus (HPV) that triggers cervical cancer, has for the first time been introduced in Kenya. It was approved in the United States two years ago.

The virus is spread through sexual contact and in many cases, it is cleared out naturally by the body's immune system. But in other cases, it persists and goes on to cause cervical cancer.

The current techniques for testing for cervical cancer such as pap smear and visual inspection do not test for the presence of the lethal virus. Instead, they look for abnormal changes in the cells and tissue of the cervix that may indicate cancer.

The technology is manufactured by Roche, a Swiss pharmaceuticals and diagnostics firm, and is being introduced into the country by Pathologists Lancet, a medical laboratory firm in the country.

It is generally estimated that about seven to 15 per cent of women have HPV. Therefore, this development is expected to save many women the need to undergo pap smears and visual inspection, which are recommended on an almost yearly basis.

The new technology also allows women to collect samples for testing all by themselves by gently swabbing the inner parts of the vagina using a tampon-like material and sending it to the lab for testing. Samples can also be collected by medical professionals.

"Women who test negative for the virus will receive the guarantee that they are unlikely to develop cervical cancer, until three years later when they have to undergo another test," said Lancet Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Kalebi.

He added: "Those who test positive will be considered to be at high risk of developing cervical cancer and will be referred for further medical examinations to examine if their tissue in the cervix is healthy or not."