針對一項新型無創性宮頸癌檢測設備的臨床試驗獲得了美國Emory大學(Atlanta, GA, USA)Gerogia研究聯盟及其合作伙伴SpectRx公司(Norcross, GA, USA)的資金支持，該公司是這種設備的開發者。

這項撥款將被用于Grady Memorial醫院(Atlanta, GA, USA)的該技術的臨床試驗，將由Emory大學的Lisa Flowers醫生負責。這種無創宮頸癌檢測設備使用技術沒有痛苦無需侵入鑒別癌癥和癌前病變，通過分析宮頸的光放射來完成。這種設備建立宮頸圖像，突出顯示病變位置和嚴重程度。這項技術通過在細胞水平檢測生化與形態學改變來區分正常和病變組織。與Pap檢測不同，該技術需要組織樣本或者實驗室分析，而且可以快速得到檢查結果。

一項臨床前的關鍵研究，由美國國立癌癥研究員資助，提示這種檢測把Pap假陽性檢測結果所導致的非必要的隨訪手術降低了55％，為節約了醫療保健系統的巨大支出。宮頸癌是最常見的位列第三位的女性癌癥。

Flowers醫生說：“這種新技術為解決目前存在的宮頸癌早期檢測的障礙提供了可能。它免除了患者在檢測之后數日內焦急等待檢查結果，消除了許多假陽性檢測結果，這種假陽性無論對患者還是醫療保健系統都是一個沉重的負擔。”
 
Trials for Cervical-Cancer Detection Device
 
Clinical trials for a new noninvasive cervical-cancer detection device are being supported by a grant to Emory University (Atlanta, GA, USA) from the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) in partnership with SpectRx, Inc. (Norcross, GA, USA), the developer of the device.

The grant will be used for the clinical trial of the technology at Grady Memorial Hospital (Atlanta, GA, USA) under the guidance of Dr. Lisa Flowers of Emory University. The noninvasive cervical-cancer detection device uses proprietary technology to identify cancers and precancers painlessly and noninvasively by analyzing light reflected from the cervix. The device creates an image of the cervix that highlights the location and severity of disease. The technology distinguishes between normal and diseased tissue by detecting biochemical and morphologic changes at the cellular level. Unlike Pap tests, this test does require a tissue sample or laboratory analysis, and results are instantly available.

A pre-pivotal clinical study, sponsored by the U.S. National Cancer Institute, indicated that the test could reduce by 55% the number of unnecessary follow-up procedures as a result of false-positive Pap results, with huge cost savings to the healthcare system. Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer among women.

“This new technology offers the potential to overcome many of the barriers to early detection of cervical cancer that exist today,” said Dr. Flowers. “It could eliminate the anxiety of waiting for days for test results and many of the false-positive results that are a burden on the patient and the healthcare system.”