Austrian doctors make breakthrough in cervical cancer precursor treatment

A new non-surgical suppository treatment for the precursors of cervical cancer has been developed by the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Vienna, media report said Monday. The CCC, a facility of the Medical University of Vienna and the Vienna General Hospital (AKH) developed the procedure and has now successfully tested it in a clinical trial, Austria Press Agency reported. Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) via a precursor - cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) - can lead to cervical cancer. The new therapeutic approach was developed to spare patients the stressful surgical procedures and risk of preterm birth that come with the cone biopsy, the standard treatment up to now. It involves an immunomodulating agent (imiquimod) which has been used for things such as a cream for the surface treatment of genital warts. In suppository form the active ingredient is applied on the cervix where it triggers an inflammatory-like response. "Through the local activation of the immune defense by imiquimod, HPV can be made visible to the immune system and can be effectively fought by the immune system," said Paul Speiser, Senior Physician at the Department of General Obstetrics and Gynelogical Oncology and director of the study. The study authors have been able to demonstrate very effective treatment of CIN forms 2 and 3 and the treatment can be applied in an uncomplicated manner more gently than surgery, a senior physician said, though further studies are required.