The Delphi Screener was successfully applied during a major clinical study conducted among 27,792 women. It appeared from the study that 30% of all women who do not have cervical smears taken by their doctors are willing to participate in tracing the human Papillomavirus (HPV) by means of home testing. HPV home testing is a highly effective means of detecting (precursory) cervical cancer. 

Women who had never taken part in a medical population examination did however choose to do the home test. These women indicated that convenience and privacy in particular were the reasons why they were willing to try home testing.
The participation of these women is specifically important due to the fact that they are three times more susceptible to cervical cancer than women taking part in medical popular examinations.

Women in the age group of 30-60 are called on once every five years to have a cervical smear taken by the doctor within the framework of medical population examination for cervical cancer (BVO BMHK). Only 67% of all women actually respond to these calls to participate. Approximately 630 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, of whom approximately 230 succumb to the disease. Half of these cancer cases occur among women who do not participate in the medical population examination.

Murat Gök has studied the possibilities of increasing participation in the BVO BMHK by offering home testing. Gök concludes that HPV home testing can reduce the number of cases of cervical cancer and that home testing can also improve the effectiveness of cervical cancer research.

The results of his research have been published in the March 2010 edition of the British Medical Journal.

Murat Gök obtained his doctorate at the VU Medical Centre on May 15 last.

For questions concerning this press release please contact:

Marlisa Meijerink, Delphi Bioscience,
by e-mail: mm@delphi-bioscience.com
or by telephone: +31(0)6-52386460