The trend and challenge of DNA methylation clinical application in cervical cancer / 中华检验医学杂志

ABSTRACT

According to the current cervical cancer screening strategy and the World Health Orgnization cervical cancer diagnosis/screening guidelines, gene methylation will be included in the new guidelines in the future. However, the value of detecting DNA methylation at specific sites in the clinical specimens during the cervical cancer treatment remains to be discussed. This article summarised the role of DNA methylation in the development of cervical cancer and discusses the potential clinical application of methylation detection in the management of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) positive female patients. It is believed that methylation test can not only be used for the preliminary classification of hrHPV positive female patients, but also for the secondary triage of female patients with slight cytological abnormalities to determine the high risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 3(CIN3) or cancer. It can also be used for the withdrawal test of women in the screening program to support the management of CIN.