Strand Diagnostics, LLC, maker of the know error system for breast and prostate biopsies, and Manhattan Labs, a premier clinical laboratory serving Manhattan and the surrounding area, have announced the availability of the myPAP test. Developed to complement a Papanicolaou (Pap) test by confirming a patient’s identity and helping physicians to proceed confidently with treatment recommendations, the myPAP test compares the DNA profiles of the Pap specimen with a reference DNA sample taken via cheek swab at the time of the Pap test. DNA confirmation ensures accurate patient identification of cervical cancer test specimens.
Cervical cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related death, claiming the lives of 275,000 women across the globe annually. Approximately 55 million Pap tests are performed annually in the U.S. to detect the presence of dysplasia or cancerous cells on the surface of the cervix. Pap tests are commonly performed in a healthcare provider’s office on women ages 21-65, depending on their individual risk factors.
Pap testing can include up to a 20-step process from the time the specimen is collected to when laboratory results are completed. Anywhere along this pathology testing cycle, a specimen identification error can occur. The innovative myPAP test utilizes patient-specific bar coding and forensic chain-of-custody principles for the purpose of reducing errors, and advanced DNA testing (also known as DNA Specimen Provenance Assignment or DSPA testing) to match test results with the right patient so as to avoid adverse patient outcomes. Learn more about the myPAP test.
