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LightTouch™, under development by Guided Therapeutics, is being designed as a new non-invasive test that has the potential to significantly improve the early detection of cervical precancers and cancers. LightTouch™ is designed as a fast, painless test - that unlike Pap smears and HPV testing - does not require a tissue sample or the delay of laboratory analysis. Early detection of cancer and precancers greatly improves survival, and LightTouch™ is designed to help preserve the reproductive health of women.

LightTouch™ uses proprietary technology to identify cancers and precancers quickly by analyzing light reflected from the cervix. LightTouch™ creates an image of the cervix for the doctor that highlights the location and severity of disease. The technology distinguishes between normal and diseased tissue by detecting biochemical and morphological changes at the cellular level.

A pre-pivotal clinical study of LightTouch™, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute indicated that the non-invasive test could reduce by 55% the number of unnecessary follow-up procedures as a result of false positive Pap test results.  The potential savings to the U.S. healthcare system could be as high as $181 million annually if the technology is widely adopted.

According to published reports, cervical cancer is the third most common cancer among women worldwide. Globally, there are approximately 471,000 cases of cervical cancer diagnosed annually and approximately 233,000 deaths per year. Approximately 60 million Pap tests are performed annually in the United States.