Objectives

To facilitate studies that detect cellular expression changes correlated with cervical lesions and to use these changes as novel markers for early detection of cervical cancer.

Program Description

The Cervical Cancer Clinical Epidemiology and Validation Center (CC-CEVC) is seeking to define molecular signatures that are predictive for neoplastic progression in cervical lesions and to serve as a resource center for collaborative efforts in the study of cervical cancer. Their focus is specifically on Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a highly prevalent viral infection of the genital tract, which has been epidemiologically linked to cervical cancer. The major roles of the CC-CEVC are to:

• expand the EDRN cervical cancer biorepository for phase 2 and early phase 3 biomarker validation by conducting a prospective study of women attending several colposcopy clinics.
• provide technical expertise in validation study design to EDRN Biomarker Developmental Laboratories (BDLs) and other EDRN collaborators who are proposing candidate biomarkers to assure efficient and effective use of specimens in the biorepository,
• assist in laboratory testing, as needed by EDRN collaborators, to facilitate rapid completion and evaluation of validation studies.