New pap smear test more accurate
Italian researchers have developed a pap smear-based test they say is more accurate and identifies more dangerous lesions than the traditional check for the human papilloma virus (HPV), which can lead to cervical cancer. The Turin-based Centre for Cancer Prevention team combined the traditional test with one for a protein called p16INK4A that identifies cancer-causing activity. Pap smears notoriously return a large number of HPV-positive results that are later found to be false, typically after expensive colposcopy examination, Reuters reports. The researchers say the new test identified 88 per cent of women with cancer-causing lesions, with far fewer false positive results.
Tumour tracer a success
A new test that uses a radioactive tracer to light up cancers hidden inside dense breast tissue identifies more tumours than traditional mammograms and gives fewer false positives, says a Mayo Clinic researcher who has been developing the technique for six years. 'These images are quite striking,' says Carrie Hruska. 'You can see how the cancers would be hidden on mammograms.' In tests on more than 940 women, the molecular breast imaging technology found 10 out of 13 tumours; mammograms detected three and missed 10. The new test is unlikely to replace mammograms, AP reports, but may be useful for high risk women.
Illegal drug improves memory in mice
A blood-boosting drug used illegally by some athletes appears to significantly, but temporarily, improve memory in mice by acting on nerve cells in the brain, say German researchers. Erythropoietin (EPO) is typically given to cancer patients with anaemia to increase blood production. The Max Planck Institute researchers say their findings may help in treating diseases that affect the brain such as schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis, Reuters reports. The memory improvement lasted for up to three weeks after the last dose.