State of the Art

Human papilloma viruses (HPV) are playing a decisive role at the development of cervical cancer (carcinome). Therefore the easy and reliable detection (diagnosis) of HPV induced changes to the cells plays a vital role in cancer prevention.

The routinely performed cytologic exam by pap smear (Papanicolaou staining), including coloscopy, has played a central part in the continuous

reduction in the frequency of cervical carcinoma cases.

The L1 capsidprotein is a nuclear protein that is rapidly transported into the

nucleus of the cell after it is synthesised in the cytoplasm. Therefore the nuclear

staining is the specific staining. In addition to a strong nuclear staining sometimes

a vesicular staining within the cytoplasm is observed too (ribosomes producing the L1 Capsidprotein). (see picture 2a).

Thanks to these procedures, characteristic changes in the cell structure, like dysplasia, can be detected years before an invasive carzinome originates.

Most dysplasia cases do not need to be treated in the first place as about 80% of them regress spontaneously.

But as there are no morphological or molecularbiological criteria indicating if there will be remission to a healthy state or a progression towards cancer, the detection of dysplasia leads to a variety of confusion in the patients.

The results are often excessive therapies with a large amount of unnecessary surgery.

The new prognostic marker cytoactiv® provides now transparency and gives your patients the safe feeling to be in good hands.

It all depends on the immune system

Latest research proves that by detecting the L1capsidprotein you can predict the prognosis of adysplasia.

(Source: Griesser et al.; AQCH, Vol. 26, No. 5, Oct 04, p. 241-245)

These observations can be explained by the biological properties of the L1 capsidprotein that can be detected by cytoactiv®.

If cytoactiv® proves positive, a stimmulation of the immune system occurs resulting in a consecutive healing of the dysplasia.

If the L1-capsidprotein can not be detected and there is no consecutive stimulation of the immune system the dysplasia can develop into cancer.

Easy and reliable

Multiple applications

cytoactiv® is an immunochemical staining method, extremely simple and robust in its application.

The morphology of the cells remains intact by this method so that you can do the evaluation under the microscope as usual.

One positively stained cell - detected by its red nucleus - is sufficient for the positive result.

You can stain with the same staining protocol native smears, pap smears, and monolayer slides as well as histologic sections.

A list of your advantages

• The prognostic marker for cervical dysplasia

• Automizable staining and evaluation

• Simple, fast and reliable results within 90 minutes

• Can be processed in any cytologic laboratory without the need of sophisticated equipment