Giving Compass' Take:

• New research, highlighted at Futurity, identifies metabolic signatures that distinguish patients with HPV, pre-cancerous cervical conditions, and cancer.

• What will it take to eradicate this disease for good? What are the most effective methods to making sure every woman has access to screening and other preventative measures around the world? 

• Where can you make the most impact in cancer research? Click here to find out. 

The new research reveals new information about how viruses, bacteria, inflammation, and disease impact metabolic signatures. Metabolomics is the comprehensive study of the metabolome, the collection of biochemicals, or metabolites, present in cells, tissues, or body fluids. Levels of metabolites often change in response to disease.

This is the first report on cervicovaginal metabolomes in HPV-associated precancerous cervical conditions and cancer that demonstrates the predictive value of metabolic fingerprinting in abnormal cell metabolism. The study identified 475 metabolites in cervicovaginal samples that changed across progression of disease, resulting in unique metabolic fingerprints.

“Metabolic fingerprinting has the potential to be used for the development of future diagnostics, preventatives, or treatments for cervical cancer to enhance women’s health outcomes…”

The fingerprints identified in the study helped distinguish women with HPV, precancerous conditions. or cervical cancer from those who were HPV negative.

Read the full article about metabolic signatures and cervical cancer by the team at Futurity.