Breakthrough- Mexican scientist discovers therapy for 100% elimination of HPV, cause of cervical cancer

It is a medical breakthrough-A Mexican doctor has discovered a therapy for 100% elimination of Human papilloma virus, the cause of cervical cancer.

Mexican scientist Eva Ramón Gallegos, at the National School of Biological Sciences (ENCB) of the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), has found a therapy that achieved the elimination of 100% of HPV, after 20 years of research. The finding that photodynamic therapy achieves the total elimination of the virus, as well as premalignant lesions of cervical cancer is based on molecular studies.

Photodynamic therapy consists of applying a drug called delta aminolevulinic acid to the cervix of the uterus. It is transformed into protoporphyrin IX, a fluorescent chemical substance after four hours and gets accumulated in damaged cells. The structures impregnated with it are later on eliminated with a special laser beam. The photodynamic therapy achieves the total elimination of the virus, as well as premalignant lesions of cervical cancer.

The breakthrough finding was released on World Cancer Day 2019. The World Health Organization estimates that in 2018 there were 570,000 new cases of cervical cancer (CCU), which accounted for 7.5% of female mortality from cancer, Based on data from the World Health Organisation, Human papillomavirus (HPV) has more than 100 types, of which at least 14 are high-risk and cause cervical cancer (CCU). In 2018 it caused the death of 311,000 women worldwide.

In the clinical phase 420 patients from the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz who were infected with HPV, had premalignant lesions on the cervix or had both conditions were treated. The treatment was applied on three occasions with an interval of 48 hours each, with a radiation time according to each case and the type of lesion. HPV was eliminated in 85%; in those who had the virus with lesions, it was also achieved in the same percentage and in those who had lesions without HPV, success was 42%.

Later on, 29 patients from Mexico City were taken up. In these cases, double the concentration of aminolevulinic delta acid was applied, eliminating HPV in 100% of patients who carried it without lesions, 64.3% in women with viruses and lesions, and 57.2% in those who presented lesions without HPV.

According to the researchers, this therapy was non-invasive and had no side effects. It has great potential to decrease the death rate from cervical cancer.

They are the most common cause of viral infection of the reproductive tract and most sexually active women and men will contract the infection at some point in their lives, including recurrent infections.

HPV is the most common cause of viral infection of the reproductive tract and is transmitted sexually. Most infections by this type of virus usually disappear without any intervention after a few months. However, a small percentage of infections with certain types of HPV can persist and develop into cancer.