It is important for the public to understand that while the Pap smear is the most successful cancer screening method ever devised, it is not perfect. Of the 50 million Pap smears performed each year in the United States, about 2 million are inconclusive. The new Digene test is a major advance that adds to the reliability of determining a woman's susceptibility to cervical cancer. Women who test positive for high risk HPV types are treated appropriately to prevent progression of disease, while women who test negative are monitored conservatively, eliminating the need for multiple Pap smears or invasive procedures. The result is early and effective management of disease, moving women out of the loop of uncertainty and reducing patient anxiety.
Tests are economical and covered by insurance.
While the test is very reliable, only 30 percent of the women who could benefit from this test have it performed. Seventy percent of the doctors and their patients are unaware of the benefits of Digene testing. The Genomics Collaborative, Inc., located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has selected Denver-based UniPath to participate in further research on the Human Genome Project, which will enable scientists to link genetic sequences to common diseases. While scientists recently mapped about 90 percent of the human genome, more research is needed in order to put this information to practical use. Close collaboration between national and international research facilities is key to the successful discovery of new diagnostic and therapeutic methods.