A research initiative at Stony Brook University is focusing on addressing barriers in cervical cancer diagnostics, backed by a grant from the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Eric Brouzes, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, leads the project which has been awarded $50,000 annually for two years.
The research aims to develop new testing methods that do not rely on costly equipment. "We’ve been developing some unrelated technologies, and we saw a new way of running quantitative tests," explained Brouzes. "What is critical about that novelty was that we could use it without equipment. This led us to diagnostic problems in low-resource settings, and one particular issue that came up was cervical cancer."
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer, but current tests only determine if someone is positive or negative for the virus. The team aims to create a molecular test to assess direct risk for cervical cancer since only those with active infections are at risk.
"The predictive value of HPV tests is currently pretty poor," said Brouzes. He highlighted that while these tests effectively predict who will not develop cancer within five years if negative, they cannot specify who might develop it.
Currently in early stages, the project focuses on developing both the testing device and cost-effective solutions for sample testing. Challenges include designing devices suitable for mass production and ensuring chemical accuracy.
Kenneth Shroyer, chair of the Department of Pathology stated: "While negative HPV test results can help rule out cervical cancer and high-grade precursor lesions, most positive tests reflect transient and clinically insignificant infections." He noted that Brouzes’ team aims to create a point-of-care device identifying HPV-positive cases at highest risk for progression to cancer.
The ultimate goal is an affordable diagnostic kit accessible without expensive tools, addressing healthcare inequality. Brouzes emphasized: “The issue is in communities that don’t have access to healthcare… no women should die of cervical cancer today.”
— Angelina Livigni