SpectRx Gets Grant for Cervical Cancer Detection Device

By HospiMedica staff writers
Posted on 05 Mar 2003

A US$1.4 million grant from the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) has been awarded to SpectRx, Inc. (Norcorss, GA, USA) to support the development of the company's biophotonic cervical cancer detection device. The grant will be mainly used to fund clinical trials, expected to begin within three months.

The cancer detection device uses proprietary biophotonic technology to identify cancers and precancers noninvasively by analyzing light reflected from the cervix. The device creates an image of the cervix that highlights the location and severity of disease. The technology distinguishes between normal and diseased tissue by detecting biochemical and morphologic changes at the cellular level. Thus, no tissue sample or laboratory analysis is required.

"The commercial potential for a viable optical diagnostic for cervical precancers is substantial. The limitations of the Pap smear are widely accepted and the reduction of health-care costs currently incurred because of false positives would be significant,” according to a review of the device by the NCI.

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