Researchers at the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (NRNU MEPhI) and First Moscow State Medical University have developed a new effective method to diagnose and treat a precancerous condition in the cervix. According to the authors of the study, the new method proved its effectiveness in all patients involved in the research.
Treating cervical cancer is an urgent problem of gynaecological oncology, since usually the currently widespread modern diagnosis methods involve surgical intervention. For example, in some cases, taking a tissue sample for a biopsy can entail undesirable phenomena and lead to dangerous consequences: uterine bleeding, the researchers noted.
Researchers at NRNU MEPhI and First Moscow State Medical University have come up with fluorescence diagnostics methods, which allow obtaining information about the state of tissues without affecting the biological processes occurring in them.
In fluorescence diagnostics and photodynamic therapy, a photosensitizer (light-sensitive substance) is introduced into the human blood. Tumour cells are able to accumulate such substances in much larger quantities than healthy cells. After a certain time, when most of the photosensitizer leaves normal cells, but remains in cancerous cells, the tumour is exposed to laser radiation of a certain wavelength.
She also pointed out that using spectral-fluorescent methods to diagnose cervical neoplasms makes it possible to control the photodynamic therapy process at all stages.
The results of a clinical study conducted by scientists together with surgeons say that photodynamic therapy treatment has been successful in all patients with morphologically confirmed leukoplakia (epithelium thickening and keratinization) and cervical dysplasia (precancerous condition) have undergone successful photodynamic therapy treatment.
After three months, complete regression of the pathologically altered tissues (absence of tumour cells) was recorded in all patients. The study results also confirmed the possibility to use the new method to destroy the human papillomavirus, while maintaining the normal physiological structure of the cervix, which is especially important for women planning a pregnancy.
In the future, the NRNU MEPhI research team wants to improve the photodynamic therapy method to timely change the treatment tactics and avoid under-exposure or over-exposure, which could lead to relapses.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
