In a nutshell

  • The WID®-easy test is an epigenetic test for the early detection of uterine cancer for women who suffer from abnormal uterine bleeding during or after menopause.
  • The test saves many women with abnormal bleeding from having to undergo surgery to diagnose whether cancer is the cause of the bleeding.
  • The test only requires a swab from the vagina.

Note:
All scientific and medical information on this page is taken from publicly available sources indicated in the text. Sola Diagnostics does not provide medical advice and makes no recommendations for action.

Uterine cancer

Uterine cancer

Uterine cancer

Uterine cancer, also known as uterine body carcinoma, corpus carcinoma or endometrial carcinoma, is a malignant cell proliferation that develops from the mucous membrane (endometrium) inside the uterus.

Uterine cancer is the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs (www.gesund.bund.de).

It predominantly affects women after menopause; only about five percent are younger than 40. Until menopause, the lining (endometrium) of the uterus renews itself every month. Periodically, the upper layers are shed and expelled with menstruation. Changes to the uterus lining in which individual cells turn into cancer cells are more common during and after menopause.

In Western countries, uterine body cancer is twice as common as cervical cancer.

In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, almost 15,000 women are diagnosed with cancer of the uterine corpus (www.ecis.jrc.ec.europa.eu) every year.

Risk factors

A major risk factor is prolonged, elevated estrogen concentration in the female body. Women with menstrual irregularities, late menopause, childlessness, or certain hormone replacement therapies have an increased risk of developing this type of cancer.

Lifestyle diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes mellitus can also increase the risk of tumors. It is known that obesity increases estrogen production. Whether there is a risk from phytoestrogens (estrogen-like substances in foods) has not yet been clarified. However, hormone therapy with estrogen alone certainly increases the risk (www.gesund.bund.de).

Symptoms

Cancer at an early stage is rarely detected during routine examinations. However, the disease becomes apparent relatively early with sudden, abnormal bleeding. Post-menopausal bleeding, irregular bleeding and flesh-colored discharge are in principle always suspicious and should be examined.

Abnormal uterine bleeding during or after menopause may be an indication of uterine cancer.

Diagnostics

First, your gynecologist will ask you about your general health (medical history) and perform a gynecological exam. A sonography probe is then inserted into the vagina to assess the lining of the uterus (endometrium).

If the endometrium is conspicuously thickened, then the suspicion of cancer of the uterine body is studied by means of endoscopy (hysteroscopy) and abrasion (also called “curettage”). These surgical procedures are relatively complex, are performed under general anesthesia, and carry the risk of bleeding, infection, or other complications of surgical procedures, such as injury or perforation of the uterus or even anesthetic incidents.

The doctor uses a miniature camera to look inside the uterus. It will check whether any conspicuous changes in the endometrium are visible. Following hysteroscopy, the superficial portion of the endometrium is being removed. Following hysteroscopy, a biopsy of the uterus lining is taken and sent to the laboratory for examination. The biopsy may be taken from an area of the uterus lining that has the characteristics of cancer (targeted biopsy) or be scraped from the top layer of the womb lining (curettage).

Comparison of diagnostic methods

During hysteroscopy and curettage, the cervix is surgically dilated to allow instruments to be inserted into the uterine cavity. With the WID®-easy test, on the other hand, a swab from the upper vaginal area is sufficient.

90 % less curettages

Transvaginal sonography

Out of 40 women who suffer from abnormal bleeding during or after menopause, about one woman will have uterine cancer. Nevertheless, the sonography will sound the alarm in 20 of these women (reddish background), and the women have to undergo curettage. Of these 20 women, 19 women do not have cancer.

The WID®-easy test

In the same situation, the WID®-easy test will only have a positive result in two women, so that only two women will have to undergo a curettage (highlighted in red). Of these two women, only one does not have cancer.

Compared to transvaginal sonography, significantly fewer women who do not have cancer receive a false positive test result (“false alarm”) with the WID®-easy test. As a result, significantly fewer curettages need to be performed. With sonography, there are twenty women, and with the WID®-easy test, there are only 2 women who need a curettage. That’s a 90% reduction.

In a direct comparison between the WID®-easy test and the ultrasound method, it was shown that with the WID®-easy test there is only one woman without cancer for every woman with cancer who has to undergo a scraping (positive predictive value [PPV] of 50%), while with ultrasound there are 19 women for every woman with cancer who have a scraping, even though it later turns out that they do not have cancer (positive predictive value [PPV] of 5%). Thus, the WID®-easy test reduces the number of necessary surgical interventions in women who do not have cancer by as much as 95%.

(Source: Evans et al., The Lancet Oncology, 2023)

How is the WID®-easy test performed?

The test is very simple to perform: your doctor will take a swab from your vagina, very similar to the swab that is taken during your cervical cancer screening (“PAP smear”).

The sample is analyzed in the laboratory using PCR (similar to a Covid test) and the result is communicated to your doctor, who will discuss the result with you.

(Quelle: www.eutops.institute)

Are you interested in the WID®-easy test?

Where can you get the WID®-easy test?

Your doctor will collect the sample for the WID®-easy test. The result of the test and the conclusions and consequences to be drawn from it will be discussed with you.

If you are interested in the WID®-easy test, please discuss this with your doctor. They will be able to discuss with you whether the test is suitable and useful for you.

In which countries is the WID®-easy test available?

The WID®-easy test is already offered by diagnostic laboratories in Austria, Switzerland and the UK. Ask your doctor if they can obtain services from one of these laboratories.

Which doctors already have experience in carrying out and interpreting the WID®-easy test?

If you are interested in contacting doctors in the UK, please contact AGHealth in London. Click here to go to the AGHealth contact page.

If you are interested in seeing a doctor in Switzerland, please contact Labor Team in Goldach, SG. Click here to go to the contact page of Labor Team.

If you are interested in contacting doctors in Austria or Germany, please get in touch with us. Click here to go to our contact page.

You can also find a selection of doctors who already offer the test in the following overview. You are welcome to contact the doctors directly.

Here is a selection of doctors who offer the WID®-easy test

Dr. Lisa Bähr

Hauptstraße 26
7023 Zemendorf
Austria

Tel.: +43 2626 20066
Mail: ordi@dr-lisabaehr.at
Web: www.dr-lisabaehr.at

Dr. Bernhard Bartosch

Marktgasse 2/1
1090 Vienna
Austria

Tel.: + 43 1 310 18 77
Mail: office@drbartosch.at
Web: https://www.drbartosch.at

Dr. Judith Boban

c/o Moser Milani
Schottengasse 7
1010 Vienna
Austria

Tel.: +43 1 2361226
Mail: dr.boban@gynbalance.me
Web: www.milani.at

Dr. Lella Breisach

Hauptplatz 19
8530 Deutschlandsberg
Austria

Tel.: +43 3462 5505
Mail: lella_breisach@yahoo.de
Web: www.frauenarzt-deutschlandsberg.at

Dr. Christine Chung

Babenbergerstraße 9/11
1010 Vienna
Austria

Tel.: +43 1 5814348
Mail: office@babenberg9.at
Web: www.christinechung.at

Dr. Lucia Ecker-Steiner

Hauptstraße 1b
5112 Lamprechtshausen
Austria

Tel.: +43 6274 766600
Mail: praxis@gyndocs.at
Web: www.gyndocs.at

Dr. Jutta Ertelt-Kircher

Römerstraße 7
69115 Heidelberg
Germany

Phone: +49 6221 656060
Mail: praxis@frauenaerzteheidelberg.de
Web: www.frauenaerzteheidelberg.de

Dr. Johannes Fennes

Roseggergasse 15 (Höhenstraße entrance)
7350 Oberpullendorf
Austria

Tel.: +43 2612 43450
Mail: johannes.fennes@aon.at

Prof. MR. Dr. Friedrich Gill

Margaretenplatz 2
1050 Vienna
Austria

Tel.: +43 1 5876769
Mail: ordination@frauenarzt-drgill.at
Web: www.frauenarzt-drgill.at

PD Dr. Michael Hubalek

Andreas-Hofer-Straße 8
6130 Schwaz
Austria

Tel.: +43 5242 655290
Web: www.dr-hubalek.at

Prim. Prof. Dr. Martin Imhof

Dorotheergasse 7/19
1010 Vienna
Austria

Tel.: +43 1 5130607
Mail: info@imi.co.at
Web: www.imi.clinic

Dr. Franziska Jäger

Alter Sommer 34
8670 Krieglach
Austria

Tel.: +43 664 2462041
Mail: ordi@gyn-jaeger.at
Web: www.gyn-jaeger.at

Dr. Susanne Krasser

Leopold-Figl-Straße 1
8430 Leibnitz
Austria

Tel.: +43 3452 76143
Mail: ordination@frauenaerztin-krasser.at
Web: www.frauenaerztin-krasser.at

Dr. Sarah Kirchner

Hauptstraße 49
5600 Sankt Johann im Pongau
Austria

Tel.: +43 6412 22514
Mail: kontakt@frauenarztpraxis-kirchner.at
Web: www.frauenarztpraxis-kirchner.at

Dr. Ralph Klieber

Wieskapellenweg 6
8280 Fürstenfeld
Austria

Tel.: +43 3382 512400
Mail: ordination@dr-klieber.at
Web: www.frauenarzt-klieber.at

MR Dr. Robert Kralicek

Schremserstraße 18/1/1
3860 Heidenreichstein
Austria

Tel.: +43 2862 53737
Mail: ordination@dr-kralicek.at
Web: www.dr-kralicek.at

Dr. Petra Simone Krauss

Defreggerstraße 14
6020 Innsbruck, Austria

Tel.: +43 512 365472
Mail: ordination@petrasimonekrauss.at
Web: www.petrasimonekrauss.at/ordination-innsbruck

DDr. Anastasiya Krusche

Enzersdorferstraße 70/1
2340 Mödling, Austria

Tel.: +43 2236 392137
Mail: office@dr-krusche.at
Web: www.dr-krusche.at

Dr. Aigul Luna

Vorgartenstrasse 206c
1020 Vienna
Austria

Tel.: +43 1 890 45 20
Mail: hallo@haelsi.at
Web: www.dr-luna.com

Dr. Monika Matal

Fasholdgasse 3/10
1130 Vienna
Austria

Tel.: +43 1 879 39 87
Mail: termin@matal.info
Web: www.frauenaerztin-wien.at

Dr. Gudrun Lorenz-Eberhardt

Lange Gasse 30
8010 Graz
Austria

Tel.: +43 316 672611
Mail: gyn.lorenz-eberhardt@medway.at
Web: gynaekologe-graz.arzt.io

Dr. Verena Mattle

Museumstraße 28
6020 Innsbruck
Austria

Tel.: +43 512 58 85 55
Mail: willkommen@dr-mattle.at
Web: www.dr-mattle.at

Univ.-Doz. Dr. Michael Medl

Heiligenstädterstraße 46-48
1130 Vienna
Austria

Tel.: +43 1 36066 8040
Mail: michael.medl@chello.at
Web: www.frauenarzt-dozmedl.at

Dr. Georg Müller

Rosenweg 2
8662 St. Barbara im Mürztal
Austria

Tel.: +43 3858 42555
Mail:georg.mueller@medway.at
Web: www.frauenarzt-mueller.at

Dr. Sarah Oswald

Riedgasse 2
6850 Dornbirn
Austria

Tel.: +43 5572 424 054
Mail: hallo@frauenzimmerdornbirn.at
Web: www.frauenzimmerdornbirn.at

Dr. Karin Pfau

Kirchstraße 10
6091 Götzens
Austria

Tel.: +43 5234 21300
Mail: praxis@dr-pfau.tirol
Web: mein-frauenarzt.tirol

Dr. Friedrich Reh

Döblinger Hauptstraße 21
1190 Vienna
Austria

Tel.: +43 1 368 26 33
Mail: office@dr-reh.at
Web: www.dr-reh.at

Dr. Beate Riedmann

Riedgasse 2
6850 Dornbirn
Austria

Tel.: +43 5572 424 054
Mail: hallo@frauenzimmerdornbirn.at
Web: www.frauenzimmerdornbirn.at

Dr. Marina Schilcher

Retzhoferstraße 5
8430 Leibnitz
Austria

Tel.: +43 3452 85033
Mail: ordination@dr-schilcher.at
Web: www.dr-schilcher.at

Dr. Markus Schnabel

Einsteinstraße 3
4020 Linz
Austria

Tel.: +43 732 34 63 96
Mail: ordination@schnabel-gyn.at
Web: www.schnabel-gyn.at

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schöll

St.-Peter-Gürtel 12a
8042 Graz
Austria

Tel.: +43 316 822 015
Mail: wolfgang.schoell@fertiliamed.at
Web: www.med-graz.com

Dr. Gordana Tomasch

Grenzgasse 2c / 7OG / 230
8055 Graz
Austria

Tel.: +43 660 9401717
Mail: office@gordanatomasch.at
Web: www.gordanatomasch.at

Dr. Gerhard Trost

Dr. Hubert-Kravcar-Platz 1
8570 Voitsberg
Austria

Tel.: +43 3142 26500
Mail: dr.trost@medway.at

Dr. Gertrud Unfried

Rudolfsplatz 3/16
1010 Vienna
Austria

Tel.: +43 512 2747
Mail: office@gyncentral.at
Web: www.diegynaekologin.at

Prof. Dr. Peter Widschwendter

State Hospital Hall
Milser Straße 10
6060 Hall in Tirol
Austria

Tel.: +43 50 504-36307
Mail: s.posch@tirol-kliniken.at
Web: www.primar-widschwendter.at

Dr. Philipp Zeller

Götzstraße 9
4820 Bad Ischl
Austria

Tel.: +43 6132 269 19 – 1
Mail: office@zellerzeller.at
Web: www.zellerzeller.at

Dr. Lisa Bähr

Dr. Lisa Bähr

Hauptstraße 26, 7023 Zemendorf, Austria

Tel.: +43 2626 20066
Mail: ordi@dr-lisabaehr.at
Web: www.dr-lisabaehr.at

Dr. Bernhard Bartosch

Dr. Bernhard Bartosch

Marktgasse 2/1, 1090 Vienna, Austria

Tel.: +43 1 310 18 77
Mail: office@drbartosch.at
Web: www.drbartosch.at

Dr. Judith Boban

Dr. Judith Boban

c/o Moser Milani, Schottengasse 7, 1010 Vienna, Austria

Tel.: +43 1 2361226
Mail: dr.boban@gynbalance.me
Web: www.milani.at

Dr. Lella Breisach

Dr. Lella Breisach

Hauptplatz 19, 8530 Deutschlandsberg, Austria

Dr. Christine Chung

Dr. Christine Chung

Babenbergerstraße 9/11, 1010 Vienna, Austria

Tel.: +43 1 5814348
Mail: office@babenberg9.at
Web: www.christinechung.at

Dr. Lucia Ecker-Steiner

Dr. Lucia Ecker-Steiner

Hauptstraße 1b, 5112 Lamprechtshausen, Austria

Tel.: +43 6274 766600
Mail: praxis@gyndocs.at
Web: www.gyndocs.at

Dr. Jutta Ertelt-Kircher

Dr. Jutta Ertelt-Kircher

Römerstraße 7, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany

Dr. Johannes Fennes

Dr. Johannes Fennes

Roseggergasse 15 (entrance Höhenstraße), 7350 Oberpullendorf, Austria

Tel.: +43 2612 43450
Mail: johannes.fennes@aon.at

Prof. MR. Dr. Friedrich Gill

Prof. MR. Dr. Friedrich Gill

Margaretenplatz 2, 1050 Vienna, Austria

PD Dr. Michael Hubalek

PD Dr. Michael Hubalek

Andreas-Hofer-Strasse 8, 6130 Schwaz, Austria

Tel.: +43 5242 655290
Web: www.dr-hubalek.at

 

Prim. Prof. Dr. Martin Imhof

Prim. Prof. Dr. Martin Imhof

Dorotheergasse 7/19, 1010 Vienna, Austria

Tel.: +43 1 5130607
Mail: info@imi.co.at
Web: www.imi.clinic

Dr. Franziska Jäger

Dr. Franziska Jäger

Alter Sommer 34, 8670 Krieglach, Austria

Tel.: +43 664 2462041
Mail: ordi@gyn-jaeger.at
Web: www.gyn-jaeger.at

Dr. Sarah Kirchner

Dr. Sarah Kirchner

Hauptstraße 49, 5600 Sankt Johann im Pongau, Austria

Dr. Ralph Klieber

Dr. Ralph Klieber

Wieskapellenweg 6, 8280 Fürstenfeld, Austria

MR Dr. Robert Kralicek

MR Dr. Robert Kralicek

Schremserstraße 18/1/1, 3860 Heidenreichstein, Austria

Tel.: +43 2862 53737
Mail: ordination@dr-kralicek.at
Web: www.dr-kralicek.at

Dr. Susanne Krasser

Dr. Susanne Krasser

Leopold-Figl-Straße 1, 8430 Leibnitz, Austria

Dr. Petra Simone Krauss

Dr. Petra Simone Krauss

Defreggerstrasse 14, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

DDr. Anastasiya Krusche

DDr. Anastasiya Krusche

Enzersdorferstraße 70/1, 2340 Mödling, Austria

Tel.: +43 2236 392137
Mail: office@dr-krusche.at
Web: www.dr-krusche.at

 

Dr. Gudrun Lorenz-Eberhardt

Dr. Gudrun Lorenz-Eberhardt

Lange Gasse 30, 8010 Graz, Austria

Dr. Aigul Luna

Dr. Aigul Luna

Vorgartenstrasse 206c, 1020 Vienna, Austria

Tel.: +43 1 890 45 20
Mail: hallo@haelsi.at
Web: www.dr-luna.com

Dr. Monika Matal

Dr. Monika Matal

Fasholdgasse 3/10, 1130 Vienna, Austria

Tel.: +43 1 879 39 87
Mail: termin@matal.info
Web: www.frauenaerztin-wien.at

Dr. Verena Mattle

Dr. Verena Mattle

Museumstraße 28, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

Tel.: +43 512 58 85 55
Mail: willkommen@dr-mattle.at
Web: www.dr-mattle.at

Univ.-Doz. Dr. Michael Medl

Univ.-Doz. Dr. Michael Medl

Heiligenstädter Straße 46-68, 1190 Vienna, Austria

Tel.: +43 1 36066 8040
Mail: michael.medl@chello.at
Web: www.frauenarzt-dozmedl.at

Dr. Georg Müller

Dr. Georg Müller

Rosenweg 2, 8662 St. Barbara im Mürztal, Austria

Dr. Sarah Oswald

Dr. Sarah Oswald

Riedgasse 2, 6850 Dornbirn, Austria

Dr. Karin Pfau

Dr. Karin Pfau

Kirchstrasse 10, 6091 Goetzens, Austria

Tel.: +43 5234 21300
Mail: praxis@dr-pfau.tirol
Web: mein-frauenarzt.tirol

Dr. Friedrich Reh

Dr. Friedrich Reh

Doeblinger Hauptstrasse 21/7, 1190 Vienna, Austria

Tel.: +43 1 368 26 33
Mail: office@dr-reh.at
Web: www.dr-reh.at

Dr. Beate Riedmann

Dr. Beate Riedmann

Riedgasse 2, 6850 Dornbirn, Austria

Dr. Marina Schilcher

Dr. Marina Schilcher

Retzhoferstraße 5, 8430 Leibnitz, Austria

Tel.: +43 3452 85033
Mail: ordination@dr-schilcher.at
Web: www.dr-schilcher.at

Dr. Markus Schnabel

Dr. Markus Schnabel

Einsteinstraße 3, 4020 Linz, Austria

Tel.: +43 732 34 63 96
Mail: ordination@schnabel-gyn.at
Web: www.schnabel-gyn.at

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schöll

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schöll

St.-Peter-Gürtel 12a, 8042 Graz, Austria

Tel.: +43 316 822 015
Mail: wolfgang.schoell@fertiliamed.at
Web: www.med-graz.com

Dr. Gordana Tomasch

Dr. Gordana Tomasch

Grenzgasse 2c / 7OG / 230, 8055 Graz, Austria

Tel.: +43 660 9401717
Mail: office@gordanatomasch.at
Web: www.gordanatomasch.at

Dr. Gerhard Trost

Dr. Gerhard Trost

Dr. Hubert-Kravcar-Platz 1, 8570 Voitsberg, Austria

Tel.: +43 3142 26500
Mail: dr.trost@medway.at

Dr. Gertrud Unfried

Dr. Gertrud Unfried

Rudolfsplatz 3/16, 1010 Vienna, Austria

Tel.: +43 512 2747
Mail: office@gyncentral.at
Web: www.diegynaekologin.at

Prim. Prof. Dr. Peter Widschwendter

Prim. Prof. Dr. Peter Widschwendter

State Hospital Hall, Milser Strasse 10, 6060 Hall in Tirol, Austria

Dr. Philipp Zeller

Dr. Philipp Zeller

Götzstraße 9, 4820 Bad Ischl, Austria

Tel.: +43 6132 269 19 – 1
Mail: office@zellerzeller.at
Web: www.zellerzeller.at

What does the WID®-easy test cost?

Discuss the cost of the test with your doctor. The costs will include the following:

  • Costs for the diagnostic laboratory to perform the test and report to your doctor. This also includes the license fee of Sola Diagnostics GmbH on a pro-rata basis.
  • Your doctor’s costs for sample collection and consultation.

The costs that you as a patient have to bear also depend on the country in which you or your physician and the laboratory performing the test are located, as well as on your insurance status.

For those who want to know the details

Sensitivity, specificity and the predictive value (PPV/NPV)

The accuracy of a test is expressed in sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. The positive and negative predictive values are referred to as PPV and NPV. >>>”This sentece has to be deleted in the English version”<<<
Sensitivity indicates the proportion of diseased individuals that are detected as such by the test. Specificity, on the other hand, indicates how many healthy individuals are reliably identified as healthy.
Since, in practice, we do not know before diagnosis whether a person has the disease or not, the predictive values are of particular interest to us: The positive predictive value (PPV) indicates how high the probability is that the patient has the disease if the test has a positive result – i.e., the test indicates cancer. The Negative Predictive Value (NPV), on the other hand, indicates the probability that a person with a negative test result (the test shows no evidence of cancer) is actually healthy.

The accuracy of the WID®-easy test

%

Specificity

%

Sensitivity

%

Positive Predictive Value (PPV)

%

Negative Predictive Value (NPV)

The direct comparison to sonography

The WID®-easy test is characterized by extremely high values for sensitivity (90.9%), specificity (97.3%) and negative predictive value (99.7%).

Vor allem aber ist der positive Vorhersagewert mit 50 % zehnmal höher als der der Sonographie, deren PPV nur 5 % beträgt (Evans et al., The Lancet Oncology, 2023).

How does the WID®-easy test work?

The WID®-easy test is a so-called epigenetic DNA methylation test.

DNA” is the term used to describe the human genetic material that parents pass on to their children. It consists of various long filaments (“chromosomes”) that are tightly coiled in every cell of the body. DNA plays an important role in controlling biological processes of the cell. Different regions on the DNA have different functions.

The so-called “DNA methylation” is a process that controls the activity of the different DNA regions. You can think of methylation as little marks on DNA.

This makes it possible for different processes to take place in different cells and for the cells to take on different tasks. DNA methylation is therefore not a genetic mutation, but merely a modification of the DNA.

The principle of the WID®-easy test

The WID®-easy test measures the methylation status of DNA regions known to be differentially methylated in uterine cancer.

Environmental influence on genes

Unlike the static DNA sequence, epigenetic DNA methylation patterns are subject to change and can also be influenced by the environment and personal lifestyle.