American Association For Cancer Research
AACR meeting unveils more good news in fight against 'women's cancers' - American Association of Cancer Research - Brief Article Two studies, presented at a recent meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research in San Francisco, offer hope for fighting breast and cervical cancers. In the first, researchers identified 2 proteins in breast cancer tumors that might help determine the likelihood of the cancer spreading or recurring (see "New tests, "p. 12). The investigation, a joint effort by ChromaVision (San Juan Capistrano, CA) and the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), examined the usefulness of an imaging system by ChromaVision to aid in the prognosis and treatment of breast cancer. The study of 84 specimens from breast cancer patients and normal individuals showed 100% specificity for tumor cell detection and revealed that the system was highly predictive of the likelihood of metastasis when tumor cells were found and negatively predictive when tumor cells were absent.
The second study found that the NMP179 assay from Matritech (Newton, MA), used to diagnose cervical cancer, identified 92% of high-risk cases among 869 women with Pap smear results that were previously classified as indeterminate (ASCUS) but were later diagnosed with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in follow-up. According to the study, more than 75% of patients whose ASCUS smears returned to a normal level also tested negative with the manufacturer's assay.
COPYRIGHT 2000 Nelson Publishing
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group
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