Background
Cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer in women worldwide representing 6.6% of all cancers affecting women. Most cervical cancer cases are caused by various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). According to the World Health Organization, mortality rates related to cervical cancer are higher in low- and middle-income countries due to a lack of resources. Annually, over 90% of all instances of cervical cancer are found in low-to-middle income countries. Once detected and diagnosed accordingly, cervical cancer is one of the most treatable cancers. However, more than 55% of these cases (266,00 out of 475,500) end up fatal.
Description
Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno have developed a novel imaging and analysis system that can capture images of the cervix and detect the presence, location and extent of precancerous lesions on the cervix.
Advantages
- Low-cost
- Portable device
- Able to be used during routine pelvic exams at the point of care (POC) in resource-constrained and /or middle to low-income countries.
Intellectual Property
A provisional patent application was filed in December 2020