New study shows that Cancer can be detected early

A new study, funded by The Eve Appeal and published this week in the open access journal PLOS Medicine[i], has the potential to change the cancer landscape by being able to accurately identify individuals with early stage womb cancer using easily accessible body fluids.

By collecting swabs from the entrance to the womb – a similar technique to that used in cervical screening – genetic material can be easily analysed for pre-cancer/cancer without the need for an invasive womb biopsy.

How does this work?

Epigenetic[ii] changes to the HAND2 gene have, for the first time by the team of researchers, been shown to play a critical role in the development of womb cancer. HAND2 is active in the healthy womb lining where it prevents the growth-inducing effects of oestrogen. By contrast, in more than 90% of womb cancers, the HAND2 gene has undergone epigenetic changes – that effectively turns it off – leading to cancer-prone tissue.

These epigenetic changes offer the opportunity to detect endometrial cancer much easier and potentially also earlier. Worryingly, womb cancer is the most common gynaecological cancer, particularly in the wake of the current ageing and obesity epidemics.

The researchers suggest – after additional trials have confirmed these results – that this technique can be used as a test, or to screen women for womb cancer. Early detection will save lives.

About The Eve Appeal

The Eve Appeal was publicly launched in 2005 to help save women’s lives by funding research into gynaecological cancers and raising awareness of the diseases. To date The Eve Appeal has donated over £5 million to research but there is still much to do. Much of the research work now under way will not be completed for some years and continued funding is essential if its early promise is to be fulfilled.

For the future The Eve Appeal continues to work towards its vision of a world where fewer women develop and significantly more women survive gynaecological cancers.

www.eveappeal.org.uk

[i] http://www.plos.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/plme-10-11-Widschwendter.pdf

[ii] Aside from genes that are known to predispose some individuals to cancer there is growing evidence that environmental exposures, even before we are born and throughout the rest of our lives, can influence our predisposition for disease. Specific life events and exposures are ‘recorded’ in our cells by a biological process known as ‘epigenetics’, as they in turn cause a biological response.

The Eve Appeal was set up to fund groundbreaking research into all gynaecological cancers at the Gynaecological Cancer Research Centre, UCL.

Our vision is a world where more women survive and fewer women are diagnosed with gynaecological cancers.

Image: iStockphoto