Medical doctors laud new test for cervical cancer. A new test for for cervical cancer, which doctors believe could dramatically cut deaths from disease, has been launched. Digene Europe presented it's Hybrid Capture HPV DNA test at a conference of gynecologists in Vienna January 30 1998. Cervical Cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases in women and is second only to breast cancer in causing deaths.
Medical experts say the disease is preventable if it is caught early.
PAP smear screening, in which cells from the cervix, or neck of the womb, are examined for normal appearance, has saved many lives but the effectiveness depends on the expertise of those examining the results. Gynecologists hope the new HPV test will identify cases missed by the pap smear. End of News Release. The uterus is the hollow, pear-shaped organ where a baby develops. Cancer of the cervix usually grows slowly over a period of time.