By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) - Using cervical fluid
collected from routine Pap smears, U.S. researchers were able to
spot genetic changes caused by both ovarian and endometrial
cancers, offering promise for a new kind of screening test for
these deadly cancers. Experts say that although the test has
tremendous potential, it is still years from widespread use. But
if proven effective with more testing, it would fill a
significant void. Currently, there are no tests that can
reliably detect either ovarian or endometrial cancer, which
affects the uterine lining. Research teams have been trying for
several years to find a screening test that could identify these
cancers early, when there is a better chance of a cure. "Pap
smears have had a tremendous impact in reducing the rate of
cervical cancer in the United States," said Dr. Andrea Myers of
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a co-author of the commentary on
the study published in Science Translational Medicine. "The lack
of an equally effective screening