TEST:

GynTect®

Incident hrHPV infection and/or persisting multifocal hrHPV infections without clinical disease are most likely responsible for the poorer specificity of the hrHPV test. A future prospective validation study will have to show whether GynTect®/cytology co-testing can outperform hrHPV/cytology co-testing in post-treatment surveillance.

This new panel, consisting of ITGA4, ASCL1, and FAM19A4, has a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of 70%, similar to our previously identified panel (ANKRD18CP, LHX8, and EPB41L3). Thus, in addition to our previously identified panel, the combination of ITGA4, ASCL1, and FAM19A4 showed good diagnostic performance and potentially can replace cytology, thereby avoiding additional doctor's visits for many women worldwide and reducing the time for decision-making for referral to the gynecologist.

For initially GynTect-positive patients both hrHPV and GynTect® assays detect recurrent disease with similar sensitivity but the GynTect® assay has a significantly higher specificity. A future study will have to show whether cytology/GynTect® co-testing will out-perform cytology/hrHPV co-testing in post-treatment surveillance for this subgroup of CIN3 patients.

"oncgnostics GmbH will present its molecular biological cancer diagnostics, its products and current study results at MEDICA, the largest trade fair in the medical industry. Oncgnostics develops patented, highly informative biomarkers. This technology improves existing cervical cancer diagnostics and also, using liquid biopsy, lays the foundation for early detection of head and neck tumours."

"The Hong Kong-based company Grande Bio-tech Co. Ltd. is making a seven-digit Euros investment in the Jena-based diagnostic company Oncgnostics GmbH. Oncgnostics has developed the cancer diagnostic Gyntect for the reliable detection of cervical cancer...Following the successful launch of Oncgnostics’ test in China, Grande Bio-tech Co. Ltd. has decided to make a financial commitment. The goal now is to expand the distribution of tests developed by Oncgnostics in the ASEAN countries."

Thus, the clinical relevance for an implementation of the GynTect assay for patients undergoing watchful waiting remains questionable. Further studies with longer observation periods should be undertaken.

The promoter methylation of six tumor suppressor genes is related to the severity of cervical lesions. The GynTect® assay based on cervical specimens provides diagnostic values for detecting CIN2 + and CIN3 + .

Methylation of the six marker regions is at least a conse- quence of, if not even the cause for cervical carcinogenesis.

"The cervical cancer screening test GynTect is now available to physicians and patients in China, the world’s most populous country. The product is the first approved methylation test for triage of HPV-positive cases in China...The molecular biological test GynTect developed by oncgnostics clarifies early on whether a patient with an abnormal finding after undergoing cervical cancer screening has a predisposition for or already has cervical carcinoma (cervical cancer), resulting in the need for prompt treatment."