GROUNDBREAKING BRITISH TECHNOLOGY INCREASES CERVICAL CANCER DETECTION BY UP TO 24%

Positive news during cervical screening awareness week 20th – 26th June 2022

New peer reviewed research published by the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology shows that use of ZedScan in diagnostic screening significantly increased the detection of cancer and potential cancer.    The biggest increase was in women referred with low grade changes, often the most challenging to visualise, where ZedScan had over a 50% increase in high grade disease detection.   

Scientists looked at the examinations of 5257 women by 82 colposcopists in 26 clinics in 9 different countries. The full research can be viewed here and also showed that:  

. HPV vaccination and primary HPV screening have been shown to be effective

. Women at low risk of high-grade CIN are now being referred to colposcopy 

. In general colposcopy performs poorly when there is a low prevalence of high-grade CIN

. ZedScan increases the detection of high-grade CIN across multiple centres

. The study confirms the value of a real time adjunctive technology

ZedScan™ by Zilico is the British developed and manufactured diagnostic technology for cervical cancer. Zilico’s proprietary technology measures cell changes providing immediate and accurate diagnosis of tissue which may be abnormal. Used by many NHS Trusts and hospitals in Finland, the advanced diagnostic tool will help provide better outcomes for women across the globe. 

The cervical screening process screens for HPV infection and those with HPV are referred for colposcopy. In addition to traditional colposcopy methods many NHS trusts have started using ZedScan for improved diagnostic information provided in real-time. At colposcopy clinicians look for cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN). CIN means change to cells in the cervix and may be high or low grade. Cervical cancer is a treatable disease if detected at CIN stage.

Sameer Kothari, CEO, Zilico says; “It is fantastic news for patients in the UK and further afield.  The publication shows how ZedScan helps across different clinical settings in 9 countries. Colposcopy has not materially changed for nearly 100 years and this data shows how having this advanced technology at the point of examination during colposcopy helps patients, clinicians and hospitals. Not only is this technology meaningful for the patient’s comfort and reassurance it is quite simply detecting more problems accurately, and in greater detail, allowing people to access the treatment that they need more efficiently. This is important research here in the UK & Europe, and moreover has huge potential for the rest of the world and developing economies where cervical cancer goes readily undetected.”

How it works:

ZedScan™ is a unique adjunct diagnostic device which uses EIS (Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy) technology to identify cell changes that cannot always be seen with standard colposcopy. 

Using a single-use EIS sensor, ZedScan takes up to 12 readings from around the cervical transformation zone following the application of acetic acid. EIS works by measuring 7 key cell parameters, at 14 different frequencies, and resulting spectra helps differentiate the different tissue types 

The readings are processed by an in-built algorithm to quantify the degree of abnormality at each reading site, with the results displayed immediately to support clinical decision making

Following a service evaluation of over 200 patients, the Trust found ZedScan increased the detection of high-grade disease (which has the potential to become cancerous) by 26 per cent and helped inform clinical management decisions. The high sensitivity of the ZedScan device also gives clinicians the confidence to discharge women to surveillance or routine screening when no high-grade disease is indicated. 

Zilico are pleased to be supporting the prevention of cervical cancer by providing state-of-art technology to aid clinical decision making at the first visit for patients attending colposcopy. Using patented EIS platform technology, ZedScan is used - as part of colposcopy procedures - to detect cervical abnormalities (pre-cancerous changes) before they develop into cervical cancer. 

For further information please contact Helen Trevorrow or Vicky Hague at Green Row on 0794 000 9138 or email helen@greenrow.co.uk.