Convenient detection of high-risk HPV for men and women, suitable for cancer prevention with one dip in urine

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Text ◆ Shen Yashi “Ming Pao”

Many women have heard of the “Human Papilloma Virus” because more than 95% of cervical cancers are caused by this virus. Therefore, it is recommended to undergo Pap smears regularly.

Pap smear can detect whether the cervical cells have mutated, but if the infection has not progressed to the disease stage, the smear test cannot “catch the culprit” early!

A biotechnology company has launched a virus urine test kit, breaking through the traditional sampling method. It not only brings convenience to women, but also benefits men. It can detect high-risk types of viruses hidden in the body that can cause penile cancer as soon as possible!

(Hong Kong News) According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women in the world, and Hong Kong ranks seventh. The medical community has also determined that more than 95% of the causes of cervical cancer are related to persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV).

“This virus is mainly spread through skin contact. Although theoretically, when we touch items with HPV attached, including contaminated public facilities, and then touch our own sexual organs, it is possible to cause infection, but it is generally believed that HPV is the most The common route of infection is through sexual intercourse,” said Dr. Zhou Jiwen, consultant obstetrics and gynecology.

14 high-risk types 16 and 18 are the most ferocious

14 high-risk HPV types 16 and 18, the “most ferocious” HPV types, have more than 150 different types, but not every type can cause cervical cancer.

Zhao Yantao, a visiting associate professor at the School of Biomedical Sciences at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, pointed out that HPV is a very common virus. Most patients do not have any symptoms after infection and can be eliminated by their own immunity. However, if they are infected with the “high-risk” type, they cannot Take it lightly, “There are 14 types of high-risk HPV that can cause cervical cancer, about 75% of which are caused by HPV types 16 or 18. Therefore, if a woman finds that her cervix carries these two ‘most ferocious’ HPV types, it is recommended that she Do a colposcopy immediately and extract tissue for detailed testing.”

After the cervix is ​​infected with HPV, the cells may be damaged, produce lesions, and even slowly develop into cancer. Therefore, the medical community has been calling for all women who have had sexual experience to undergo regular cervical screening to “early” “Discover and intervene early” to deal with this female killer!

Pap smear examination has always been the first line of defense in preventing cervical cancer. However, in 2021, WHO recommended that HPV DNA testing be changed to the preferred screening method. In April 2023, the Hong Kong Department of Health made the same decision. Revised; What is the difference between the two?

Women aged 25 to 29 are more likely to have false positives

Zhou Jiwen explained that the sampling procedures are the same. A speculum (duckbill forceps) is used to collect cervical cell samples, but the testing method is different. “Pert smear uses a microscope to identify the cell morphology and observe the collected samples. Whether there are abnormalities or lesions; HPV DNA testing detects whether the cells contain high-risk types of HPV.”

Many international large-scale studies have pointed out that HPV DNA testing has high sensitivity and can predict the probability of high-grade cervical lesions in women at an earlier stage.

Zhao Yantao also said that after Pap smear sampling, technicians mainly rely on technicians to visually detect whether there are lesions in the cells with the help of a microscope, which may cause human bias; however, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method is used to determine whether HPV DNA is present in cervical swabs. , the entire process is operated by machines, and the accuracy is guaranteed.

“From April 2023, women aged 30 to 64 using cervical cancer screening services,

People who use HPV DNA testing and the test result is negative,

It is recommended to retest every 5 years;

As for women aged 25 to 29, due to the higher rate of transient HPV infection,

If you use HPV DNA testing, false positives are more likely to occur.

To avoid causing unnecessary panic or over-treatment,

Therefore, I will continue to do Pap smears for cytology tests.

If the test results are normal (negative) for 2 consecutive years, you can undergo screening every 3 years thereafter. “

As for the private medical market, Zhou Jiwen pointed out that due to cost issues, not all doctors will follow the government’s approach for the time being. “Currently, most laboratories charge between NT$300 and NT$400 (approximately RM244 to MYR488) for a Pap smear test; but for HPV DNA testing, it costs NT$800 to NT$1,200 (approximately RM488 to MYR733). There is a big difference between the two, so patients must be given a choice. In fact, many women would rather choose to have Pap smears frequently. Even if the results are normal, they will check them once a year.”

More than 80% of penile cancers are related to HPV

Men should get tested regularly

According to the Demographic Health Survey report, 47.9% of women aged 25 to 64 have not received or have not received regular cervical screening. The reasons include “fear of embarrassment” and “fear of pain or discomfort”. Therefore, the same HPV DNA sampled through the cervix was used Testing methods may not encourage them to have regular check-ups.

But if the lesions can be found just by soaking in urine, perhaps the appeal will be greatly increased!

Zhao Yantao, who is also a visiting associate professor at the School of Biomedicine at CUHK and the founder of a biotechnology company, recently launched the world’s first test kit for detecting HPV using patented urine DNA concentration technology, breaking through the limitations of traditional HPV DNA testing that requires the collection of cell samples. , can benefit men.

Report available within 5 days

“In fact, men and women have the same chance of contracting HPV through sexual contact. Not only is it possible for men to transmit cancer-causing HPV to women, increasing their partners’ risk of cervical cancer, research also points out that more than 80% of men have penile cancer, and More than 50% of anal cancer and oropharyngeal cancer are related to HPV, so in order to protect themselves and their partners, men should get tested regularly.”

HPV urine testing is easy to operate. Just scan the exclusive QR code on the testing kit, fill in the information, then pour the urine from the head into the sampling bottle, add the preservation solution provided in the testing kit, seal it, and return it to the designated collection point or contact us Specialized personnel will come to collect samples and a report will be available within 5 working days.

Accuracy reaches 98.1%

Zhao Yantao said that after the samples are sent to the laboratory, their core technology will be used to efficiently concentrate the HPV in the urine, and then the genes will be sequenced. “We can comprehensively detect 27 types of HPV at one time, including 14 high-risk and 13 low-risk viruses, with an accuracy of 98.1%.”

He revealed that the retail price of the HPV urine test kit is currently HK$1,280 (approximately RM781), and he hopes that there will be room for price reduction after the product becomes popular in the market.

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