Karnataka Chapter of the Indian Academy of Cytologists (IAC) has opined that early cancer detection could be possible with Liquid-Based Pap Test.

At a two-day workshop which coincided with the launch of IAC at the Shri Dhamasthala Manjunatheshwara Medical College, Dharwad, a panel of experts provided an in-depth demonstration of various abnormalities in cells of common organs. The workshop on BD SurePath Liquid-Based Cytology was organized for post-graduates. There was a demonstration of equipment and they were sensitized towards the morphology of the test slides. The sessions also  provided and supported educational activities to encourage and promote knowledge of the new technology, resulting in enhanced detection, diagnosis and prognosis of disease processes, and set the highest standards for quality patient care.

Dr Vani Ravikumar, Head of Pathology Department, Bowring & Curzon Medical College, Bangalore led the workshop and shared her expertise in the latest applications of diagnostic cytology. “It is quite disappointing that a cancer that can be easily prevented with the help of regular screening sees as  many as 70,000 succumb in India each year. Liquid-Based Cytology (LBC) is more advanced and accurate than a traditional Pap smear and must be undertaken regularly. LBC Pap can also increase the screening interval. Instead of getting the test every year in Conventional smears, with ‘Sure Path LBC’, the woman can get the test done once in three years. The chances of picking up a positive case are high and women need not have to give repeat samples.”

Dr Col US Dinesh, secretary, IAC and Professor of Pathology, Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara Medical College, that the focus would be to  encourages excellence in the research of cytology and support cooperation among those actively engaged in the practice of clinical cytology.

“It is important that cancer be diagnosed early. For this purpose, expert cytologists as well as new techniques play a crucial role.Through such training and interactive workshops, we endeavor to improve prevention rates of cervical cancer and improvelives every day by making diagnoses of cancers of all types - safer, earlier and more accurate,” he added.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cervical cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in India. It kills eight women every hour. In fact, the WHO estimates that Indian women have a 2.5 per cent lifetime risk of getting cervical cancer, double the worldwide figure of 1.3 per cent.In Karnataka, there would be about 1.5 lakh cancer cases at any given time and about 35,000 new cancer cases are added to this pool each year. Majority of the incidence is seen among the urban poor and the rural population.

BD SurePath Liquid-Based Pap Test is an FDA approved thin-layer cell preparation process intended for use in the screening and detection of cervical cancer, pre-cancerous lesions, atypical cells and all other cytological categories as defined by The Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical/ Vaginal Cytology Diagnoses. More than 120 international, scientific and clinical studies support the technology and Focal Point Imaging System which are protected by over 100 international patents.