Scientists in Mexican have used a specialised treatment to eliminate Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the virus responsible for most cases of cervical cancer, in a group of patients during clinical research. ALSO READ: Cervical cancer: Rwanda rolls out new HPV vaccine The research team led by Eva Ramón Gallegos, a scientist at Mexico’s National Polytechnic Institute, tested a medical technique called photodynamic therapy, which uses a light-sensitive compound and laser light to destroy infected cells. ALSO READ: HPV self-testing is helping women catch cervical cancer early In one stage of the study, 29 women diagnosed with HPV received the treatment. Researchers reported that the virus was eliminated in all patients who had HPV without cervical lesions. Among those with HPV and precancerous lesions, the treatment eliminated the virus in about 64 percent of cases. The therapy involves applying a compound called aminolevulinic acid to the affected cervical tissue. This compound makes infected cells sensitive to light. When doctors expose the area to a controlled laser, the activated substance destroys infected cells while leaving most healthy tissue intact. HPV is one of the most common viral infections worldwide. While vaccines such as Gardasil can help prevent several high-risk strains, treatment options for those already infected is still limited. Scientists say the results from the photodynamic therapy studies are encouraging, but they stress that larger clinical trials will be needed before the treatment could become widely used in hospitals and clinics. Dr. Theoneste Maniragaba, Director of the Cancer Programme at Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), commented on this new treatment approach for high-risk HPV, specifically types 16 and 18. He noted that if clinical trials demonstrate the treatment meets World Health Organization (WHO) pre-qualification standards, it could become the most effective option compared to current therapies. “This treatment targets the viruses themselves. In our screening programmes, we focus on high-risk HPV and the lesions these viruses can cause. However, based on the research to date, this new approach is not intended to treat precancerous lesions,” he said. “Existing treatments, such as lesion removal, act directly on affected tissue. This therapy is applied where the viruses are present and works in a more targeted way.” Maniragaba added that a key advantage of the therapy is that it appears to cause less pain than current treatments, possibly making it more comfortable for patients. However, he stressed that further clinical trials are necessary to fully confirm its safety and effectiveness.
