What’s next? Perspectives and future needs of cervical screening in Europe in the era of molecular testing and vaccination

Risk stratification of cervical disease using detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) E4 protein and cellular MCM protein in clinical liquid based cytology samples

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Cytospinning is a viable method for preparing LBC cells for antibody staining.

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We assessed the performance of a dual biomarker (one viral: HPVE4, one cellular: MCM2) in risk stratification of cervical disease.

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MCM2 was significantly associated with CIN2+ (p = 0.03). HPVE4 was associated with CIN1/normal (p = 0.06).

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The dual biomarker approach may be useful to risk stratify cervical disease especially in resource-poor settings.

Background

While human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing offers high sensitivity for the detection of significant cervical disease, its specificity is suboptimal given the high prevalence of transient HPV infections (CIN1 or less). Biomarkers to identify those suffering from low grade disease from those with high grade disease could save healthcare costs and reduce patient anxiety.

Objective

The objective of the present work was to develop and test an immunohistochemistry (IHC)-based dual viral and cellular biomarker strategy which was applicable to liquid based cytology (LBC) samples.

Study design

We developed a novel IHC assay for detection of HPV E4 and cellular minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins in routinely taken cervical LBC samples using cytospin-prepared slides. The assay was applied to a prospective cohort of Scottish women referred to a colposcopy clinic due to preceding cytological abnormalities. The performance of the biomarkers for detection of clinically insignificant (CIN1 or less) versus significant disease was determined.

Results

A total of 81 women were recruited representing 64 cases of <=CIN1 and 28 of CIN2 + . Biomarker performance relative to histopathology outcomes showed high levels of MCM detection was significantly associated with CIN2+ (p = 0.03) while E4 was detected more frequently in <=CIN1 (p = 0.06).

Conclusions

Combined detection of a host proliferation marker and a marker of viral gene expression could allow triage of cases of clinically insignificant disease prior to colposcopy. However, there was overlap between distributions of MCM levels in CIN2+ and <=CIN1 suggesting that additional biomarkers would be required for improved specificity. Combined with cytospin-prepared slides this approach could provide a means of risk stratification of disease in low resource settings.

Population-based cancer screening programmes in low-income and middle-income countries: regional consultation of the International Cancer Screening Network in India

The reductions in cancer morbidity and mortality afforded by population-based cancer screening programmes have led many low-income and middle-income countries to consider the implementation of national screening programmes in the public sector. Screening at the population level, when planned and organised, can greatly benefit the population, whilst disorganised screening can increase costs and reduce benefits. The International Cancer Screening Network (ICSN) was created to share lessons, experience, and evidence regarding cancer screening in countries with organised screening programmes. Organised screening programmes provide screening to an identifiable target population and use multidisciplinary delivery teams, coordinated clinical oversight committees, and regular review by a multidisciplinary evaluation board to maximise benefit to the target population. In this Series paper, we report outcomes of the first regional consultation of the ICSN held in Agartala, India (Sept 5-7, 2016), which included discussions from cancer screening programmes from Denmark, the Netherlands, USA, and Bangladesh. We outline six essential elements of population-based cancer screening programmes, and share recommendations from the meeting that policy makers might want to consider before implementation.

Quantitative Measurement of L1 Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Methylation for the Prediction of Preinvasive and Invasive Cervical Disease

Background

Methylation of the human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA has been proposed as a novel biomarker. Here, we correlated the mean methylation level of 12 CpG sites within the L1 gene, to the histological grade of cervical precancer and cancer. We assessed whether HPV L1 gene methylation can predict the presence of high-grade disease at histology in women testing positive for HPV16 genotype.

Methods

Pyrosequencing was used for DNA methylation quantification and 145 women were recruited.

Results

We found that the L1 HPV16 mean methylation (±SD) significantly increased with disease severity (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia [CIN] 3, 17.9% [±7.2] vs CIN2, 11.6% [±6.5], P < .001 or vs CIN1, 9.0% [±3.5], P < .001). Mean methylation was a good predictor of CIN3+ cases; the area under the curve was higher for sites 5611 in the prediction of CIN2+ and higher for position 7145 for CIN3+. The evaluation of different methylation thresholds for the prediction of CIN3+ showed that the optimal balance of sensitivity and specificity (75.7% and 77.5%, respectively) and positive and negative predictive values (74.7% and 78.5%, respectively) was achieved for a methylation of 14.0% with overall accuracy of 76.7%.

Conclusions

Elevated methylation level is associated with increased disease severity and has good ability to discriminate HPV16-positive women that have high-grade disease or worse.

Critical Analyses of the Introduction of Liquid-Based Cytology in a Public Health Service of the State of São Paulo, Brazil

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the current conventional Pap smear with liquid-based cytology (LBC) preparations.

STUDY DESIGN

Women routinely undergoing their cytopathological and histopathological examinations at Fundação Oncocentro de São Paulo (FOSP) were recruited for LBC. Conventional smears were analyzed from women from other areas of the State of São Paulo with similar sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of 218,594 cases were analyzed, consisting of 206,999 conventional smears and 11,595 LBC. Among the conventional smears, 3.0% were of unsatisfactory preparation; conversely, unsatisfactory LBC preparations accounted for 0.3%. The ASC-H (atypical squamous cells - cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion) frequency did not demonstrate any differences between the two methods. In contrast, the incidence of ASC-US (atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance) was almost twice as frequent between LBC and conventional smears, at 2.9 versus 1.6%, respectively. An equal percentage of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions were observed for the two methods, but not for low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, which were more significantly observed in LBC preparations than in conventional smears (2.2 vs. 0.7%). The index of positivity was importantly enhanced from 3.0% (conventional smears) to 5.7% (LBC).

CONCLUSIONS

LBC performed better than conventional smears, and we are truly confident that LBC can improve public health strategies aimed at reducing cervical lesions through prevention programs.

Pregnancy outcome after electrosurgical cervical cone biopsy using Fischer cone biopsy excisor

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the pregnancy outcomes of all patients who underwent electrosurgical cone biopsy of the cervix between January 2000 and December 2011 and subsequently became pregnant.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTINGS

District General Hospital in the North East of England.

METHODS

Patients were identified from the local colposcopy electronic data, Hospital Episode Statistics and Maternity electronic data. Data were collected on a pro forma with two sections: (1) treatment section and (2) pregnancy section. In the treatment section, year and indication for treatment, volume of cervix removed, histological results and marginal status of specimen were documented. In the pregnancy section, time interval between treatment and pregnancy, pre-treatment obstetric history, cervical length measurements, cervical suture, gestation and mode of delivery and neonatal outcome were documented. Data were analysed using SPSS.

RESULTS

25 women achieved 47 pregnancies after electrosurgical cone biopsy treatment. Most common indication for cone biopsy was glandular neoplasia accounting for nearly half of the procedures; 21.2% of pregnancies ended in first-trimester miscarriages. The preterm delivery rate (<37 weeks) was 19.4%. Volume of cervix excised was significantly greater in women who delivered preterm compared to women who delivered at term (p = 0.028). The rate of preterm delivery was significantly higher in post treatment pregnancies when compared to pregnancies before treatment in the same women (p = 0.02). The preterm delivery in post-treatment pregnancies was not related to the time interval between treatment and pregnancy (p = 0.54). There was no significant difference in miscarriage rates in pre- and post-treatment pregnancies (p = 0.98).

CONCLUSION

Electrosurgical cone biopsy of cervix is associated with increased risk of preterm labour that is related to the volume of cervix excised.

Implementation status of cervical screening in Europe

Following the recommendation of the Council of the European Union, almost all governments made a policy statement on the introduction of cytology-based cervical screening for the health care system. However, the status of implementation is uneven. In the majority of the developed countries an organised model of screening recommended by the relevant international professional organisations are in use, while occasional screening is applied in some other countries. Screening strategies (i.e. age range, screening intervals), coverage of the target population, and compliance rates vary significantly. The screening activities are in a planning phase is some less developed Central-Eastern and South European countries. In Hungary, the transition from the traditional “gynaecological cancer screening” into the recommended organised cervical screening is in progress; the active involvement of the district health visitors in the cervical screening would provide further improvement. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(50), 1975–1988.

Targeting angiogenesis in advanced cervical cancer

Patients with advanced stage or recurrent cervical cancer represent a population with limited chemotherapeutic options. More specifically, patients with recurrent disease have a poor salvage rate, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%. This year, the first prospective phase III clinical trial exploring the anti-angiogenic agent, bevacizumab, was published, meeting its primary endpoint, with a significant improvement in overall survival. As such, a review of anti-angiogenic therapy in the treatment of this disease is warranted.

Inequalities in Pap smear screening for cervical cancer in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To examine the risk factors associated with never being screened for cervical cancer (CC) in Brazil.

METHODS

Using the National Household Sample Survey 2008 (PNAD), we analyzed data from 102,108 Brazilian women ages 25-64years. The patients were analyzed as having been or never having been screened with a Pap smear (Yes/No). Age-adjusted prevalence of never-screening was analyzed using a Chi-squared test. Crude and adjusted models using Poisson regression were performed.

RESULTS

The prevalence of never-screened women for CC was 12.9%, 11.5% and 22.2% in Brazil in general, urban and rural areas, respectively. The Brazilian region with the highest prevalence of never-screening was the North (17.4%, 14.7% and 27.3% in general, urban and rural areas, respectively). The factors associated with a higher risk for never being screened were the following: poverty, younger age, lower educational level, non-white skin color, a greater number of children, no supplemental health insurance and not having visited a doctor in the past 12months.

CONCLUSION

Socioeconomic and demographic conditions lead to inequalities in access to Pap smear screening in Brazil. Public health policy addressing these risk groups is necessary.

Detection rates of precancerous and cancerous cervical lesions within one screening round of primary human papillomavirus DNA testing: prospective randomised trial in Finland

OBJECTIVE

To compare the detection rates of precancerous and cancerous cervical lesions by human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing and by conventional cytology screening.

DESIGN

Prospective randomised trial. Two cohorts were followed over one screening round of five years, screened initially by primary HPV DNA testing or by primary Pap test.

SETTING

Population based programme for cervical cancer screening in Finland.

PARTICIPANTS

Women aged 25-65 years invited for screening in 2003-07 (101,678 in HPV arm; 101,747 in conventional cytology arm).

INTERVENTION

Women were randomly allocated (1:1) to primary HPV DNA screening followed by cytology triage if they had positive results, or to primary cytology screening. Screening method was disclosed at the screening visit. Trial personnel involved were aware of all test results.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Cumulative detection rates of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), and invasive cervical cancer before the second screening (after five years) or before 31 December 2008. Lesions detected at screening and during the five year interval were included.

RESULTS

1010 and 701 precancerous or cancerous lesions were detected during an average follow-up of 3.6 years in the HPV and cytology arms, respectively. Among invited women, the hazard ratio was 1.53 (95% confidence interval l.28 to 1.84) for CIN grade 1, 1.54 (1.33 to 1.78) for CIN 2, 1.32 (1.09 to 1.59) for CIN 3 or AIS, and 0.81 (0.48 to 1.37) for cervical cancer. In 25-34 year old participants, the cumulative hazard (or cumulative detection rate) was 0.0057 (0.0045 to 0.0072) for HPV screening versus 0.0046 (0.0035 to 0.0059) for conventional screening; corresponding data for women aged 35 years and older were 0.0022 (0.0019 to 0.0026) and 0.0017 (0.0014 to 0.0021), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary HPV DNA screening detects more cervical lesions than primary cytology within one screening round of five years. Even if the detection rate of CIN 3 or AIS increased in the HPV arm in both age groups, the absolute difference in cumulative rates in women aged 35 years or older was small. By carefully selecting age groups and screening intervals, HPV screening could increase the overall detection rate of cervical precancerous lesions only slightly. However, these findings should be interpreted in the context of the high level of opportunistic screening that occurs in Finland.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial ISRCTN23885553.

A population-based study of human papillomavirus genotype prevalence in the United States: baseline measures prior to mass human papillomavirus vaccination

Currently, two prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines targeting HPV 16 and 18 have been shown to be highly efficacious for preventing precursor lesions although the effectiveness of these vaccines in real-world clinical settings must still be determined. Toward this end, an ongoing statewide surveillance program was established in New Mexico to assess all aspects of cervical cancer preventive care. Given that the reduction in cervical cancer incidence is expected to take several decades to manifest, a systematic population-based measurement of HPV type-specific prevalence employing an age- and cytology-stratified sample of 47,617 women attending for cervical screening was conducted prior to widespread HPV vaccination. A well-validated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for 37 HPV genotypes was used to test liquid-based cytology specimens. The prevalence for any of the 37 HPV types was 27.3% overall with a maximum of 52% at age of 20 years followed by a rapid decline at older ages. The HPV 16 prevalences in women aged ≤ 20 years, 21-29 years or ≥ 30 years were 9.6, 6.5 and 1.8%, respectively. The combined prevalences of HPV 16 and 18 in these age groups were 12.0, 8.3 and 2.4%, respectively. HPV 16 and/or HPV 18 were detected in 54.5% of high-grade squamous intraepithelial (cytologic) lesions (HSIL) and in 25.0% of those with low-grade SIL (LSIL). These baseline data enable estimates of maximum HPV vaccine impact across time and provide critical reference measurements important to assessing clinical benefits and potential harms of HPV vaccination including increases in nonvaccine HPV types (i.e., type replacement).

Cervical cancer in the human papillomavirus vaccination era

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To evaluate the potential changes in the epidemiology of cervical cancer based on recently emerged information from mass vaccination programs beyond clinical trials.

RECENT FINDINGS

Limited sensitivity and unequal access to screening have resulted in an imbalance in distribution of the burden of cervical cancer between developed and developing countries, between metropolitan and rural areas in developed countries, and among women from different ethnic groups. In screened populations, there is a relative increase in incidence of cervical cancer in young and elderly women, and an increased proportion of adenocarcinoma. A high coverage of the target population has been achieved in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programs in many countries. After 3 years of mass vaccination of adolescent girls, surveillance data in Australia confirmed a significant reduction in high-grade abnormalities for girls aged 18 years and below.

SUMMARY

HPV vaccination is more feasible than cytology screening for universal implementation across geographic sectors and demographic groups within individual countries and over the world. The high vaccine efficacy should significantly reduce the total burden and unequal distribution of invasive cervical cancer, including adenocarcinoma hitherto observed. These epidemiological changes provoke consideration for appropriate modifications of the current screening program.

Assessment of knowledge and stigmatizing attitudes related to human papillomavirus among Hong Kong Chinese healthcare providers

OBJECTIVE

To assess knowledge and stigmatizing attitudes related to human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV testing among Chinese healthcare providers in Hong Kong.

METHODS

Between May and September 2010, an anonymous self-administered questionnaire was sent to 247 doctors, nurses, and smear-taking trainees providing cervical screening in Hong Kong.

RESULTS

In total, 137 questionnaires were returned. Most participants had basic knowledge about HPV infection and HPV vaccination. Only about 33% knew that high-risk HPV does not cause genital warts, infection is most common among young women, or infected individuals might not have any identifiable sexual risk factors. Regarding HPV testing, 6 of 7 knowledge items were answered incorrectly by many participants (≥ 50%), highlighting a lack of understanding of the indications for HPV testing and the implications of a positive result. About 30% of participants agreed that individuals with HPV infection were sexually easy, responsible for their infection, or had more than 1 sexual partner. More knowledge about HPV infection predicted less stigmatizing attitudes.

CONCLUSION

Continued education on HPV and HPV testing is needed for frontline healthcare providers of screening in Hong Kong. The stigmatizing attitudes toward HPV-infected individuals warrant further exploration of the impact of HPV infection on patient care and interventions.

Determinants of successful implementation of population-based cancer screening programmes

To facilitate the future implementation of population-based cancer screening programmes in European countries, we summarised the experience gained from existing programmes across Europe. We listed points that citizens, advocacy groups, politicians, health planners, and health professionals should consider when planning, implementing and running population based cancer screening programmes. The list is general and is applicable to breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening. It is based on evidence presented in the three European Union guidelines on quality assurance in cancer screening and diagnosis, supplemented with other literature and expert experience presented at a European Science Advisory Network for Health workshop. The implementation of a cancer screening programme should be divided into the following seven phases: (1) before planning, (2) planning, (3) feasibility testing, (4) piloting or trial implementation, (5) scaling up from pilot to service, (6) running of full-scale programme, and (7) sustainability. For each phase, a substantial number of specified conditions have to be met. Successful implementation of a cancer screening programme requires societal acceptance and local ownership along with the best evidence-based practise and verification of adequate performance in each phase of implementation.

Assessing perceived risk and STI prevention behavior: a national population-based study with special reference to HPV

INTRODUCTION

To better understand trends in sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, specifically low prevalence of condom use with temporary partners, the aim of this study was to examine factors associated with condom use and perceptions of STI risk amongst individuals at risk, with the underlying assumption that STI risk perceptions and STI prevention behaviors are correlated.

METHODS

A national population-based survey on human papillomavirus (HPV) and sexual habits of young adults aged 18-30 was conducted in Sweden in 2007, with 1712 men and 8855 women participating. Regression analyses stratified by gender were performed to measure condom use with temporary partners and STI risk perception.

RESULTS

Men's condom use was not associated with STI risk perception while women's was. Awareness of and disease severity perceptions were not associated with either condom use or risk perception though education level correlated with condom use. Women's young age at sexual debut was associated with a higher risk of non-condom use later in life (OR 1.95 95% CI: 1.46-2.60). Women with immigrant mothers were less likely to report seldom/never use of condoms with temporary partners compared to women with Swedish-born mothers (OR 0.53 95% CI: 0.37-0.77). Correlates to STI risk perception differ substantially between sexes. Number of reported temporary partners was the only factor associated for both men and women with condom use and STI risk perception.

CONCLUSIONS

Public health interventions advocating condom use with new partners could consider employing tactics besides those which primarily aim to increase knowledge or self-perceived risk if they are to be more effective in STI reduction. Gender-specific prevention strategies could be effective considering the differences found in this study.

Population-based frequency assessment of HPV-induced lesions in patients with borderline Pap tests in the Emilia-Romagna Region: the PATER study

BACKGROUND

The PATER study assessed the frequency of high-risk (HR) and low-risk (LR) human papillomavirus (HPV) in HPV-induced lesions in patients with borderline cytology.

METHODS

This retrospective observational cohort study was designed to evaluate ASCUS patients detected through a local cervical cancer screening programme and referred to the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics at the S. Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital in Bologna, in the period between January 2000 and December 2007.

RESULTS

In 1047 patients aged 38.4 ± 9.6 years (range 23-65 years), 34.8% (n = 364) was positive for HR- or LR-HPV DNA. The mean age of women with HPV infection was significantly lower compared with the negative group (36.8 ± 9.4 versus 39.3 ± 9.6 years; p < 0.001). Overall, 357 (34.1%) women had cervical lesions: 279 (26.6%) had CIN1, 18 (1.7%) CIN2, and 60 (5.7%) CIN3+. HR-HPV genotype was detected in 83.3%, and 91.5% of patients with CIN2 and CIN3+ respectively. Among the 124 CIN1 HPV-positive women, 8.9% harboured LR-HPV genotypes, 80.6% HR-HPV and 10.5% a combination of HR- and LR-HPV. HPV-6 and 11 accounted for 19.4% of all HPV-positive CIN1 lesions.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggest that: in ASCUS patients over 40 years there is a low risk of positivity for HPV infection; the HPV DNA testing in patients with CIN3+ and a mean age close to 40 years is highly sensitive (98.3%) and acceptably specific (75.5%); the frequency of LR-HPV (alone or in combination with HR) in ASCUS cytology is not negligible. A tetravalent-based HPV vaccination alongside the screening programme would provide considerable clinical, organizational, and economic benefits.

Benefits of vaccinating young adult women with a prophylactic quadrivalent human papillomavirus (types 6, 11, 16 and 18) vaccine

Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The causal role of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer has prompted the development of vaccines against HPV. The highest risk of HPV infection is in women aged 16-25 years. Almost all young adult women can benefit from HPV vaccination. There is strong epidemiological and clinical support for vaccination programmes that target sexually active women in this age group to prevent HPV infection, and thus avert the development of HPV-related disease. Furthermore, the implementation of HPV vaccination programmes may benefit the development or awareness of cervical cancer prevention strategies and ultimately reduce the burden of cervical cancer and improve cervical cancer control.

Monitoring of human papillomavirus vaccination

Persistent infection with oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) is a necessary causal factor in the development of cervical cancer. Moreover, HPV, predominately type 16 and to a lesser degree type 18, is linked causally to varying proportions of other anogenital cancers (vulva, vagina, penis, anus) as well as cancers elsewhere in the body (oropharynx, larynx, conjunctiva). HPV types 6 and 11 cause most of genital warts and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis. Effective prophylactic vaccines have been developed. In this review, we address briefly the immunological aspects of HPV infection and the results of HPV vaccination trials. Internationally standardized monitoring and evaluation of prophylactic HPV vaccination programmes will be essential for arriving at the most cost-effective strategies for cancer control.

The interface of population-based cancer registries and biobanks in etiological and clinical research--current and future perspectives

BACKGROUND

The availability of quality assured, population-based cancer registries and biobanks with high quality samples makes it possible to conduct research on large samples sets with long follow-up within a reasonable time frame. Defined quality for both cancer registries and biobanks is essential for enabling high quality biobank-based research. Recent networking projects have brought these infrastructures together to promote the combined use of cancer registries and biobanks in cancer research.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this report we review the current status and future perspectives of cancer registries and biobanks and how the interface between them should be developed to optimally further cancer research.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Major conclusions for future improvements are that the research exploiting cancer registries and biobanks, and the research that is building and optimising the infrastructure, should evolve together for maximally relevant progress. Population-based and sustainable biobanks that continuously and consecutively store all samples ("Biological registries") under strict quality control are needed. There is also a need for increased education, information and visibility of the interdisciplinary sciences required for optimal exploitation of these resources.

Cervical cancer screening in Mediterranean countries: implications for the future

Prompted by feedback from the 34th European Congress of Cytology (ECC), the practice of including a special symposium in the programme was continued in the 35th ECC in Lisbon (2009) by arranging a satellite symposium entitled 'Cervical Cancer Screening in the Mediterranean Countries'. Because of the importance to the future of this discipline, it was felt appropriate to summarize the highlights of this symposium here. Cervical cancer prevention strategies in the countries participating in the symposium (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece and Turkey) appear to be highly variable. As yet, none of these countries can demonstrate a fully implemented national screening programme, but all are in different phases of designing and/or setting up such a programme, which is important. At present, the time-honoured concept of cervical cancer prevention by Pap smear screening is under review, because prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines demonstrate a potential to prevent the vast majority (albeit not all) of cases of cervical cancer in the foreseeable future. Cervical cancer screening is still needed in this emerging era of HPV vaccination, but clearly the existing screening strategies must be modified to provide a cost-effective combination of vaccination and screening. If the currently evaluated new screening strategies, such as HPV testing followed by cytology triage, become a reality, there is the likelihood that the Pap test will have only a secondary role, subordinate to HPV testing. Supporters of this scenario claim that Pap test performance will deteriorate in vaccinated populations. Reduced positive predictive value (PPV), due to lower disease prevalence, is inevitable, however, and this would also affect HPV tests. Any decline in sensitivity and specificity depends on human performance, and as such is avoidable by taking appropriate preventive measures. As clinical cytologists, we should focus attention on minimizing the risk to the Pap test of falling sensitivity because of unfamiliarity with abnormal cells, and also of reduced specificity if the fear of missing significant disease leads to overcalling of benign abnormalities.

To know or not to know: ethical issues related to early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

In Alzheimer's disease (AD), pathological processes start in the brain long before clinical dementia. Biomarkers reflecting brain alterations may therefore indicate disease at an early stage, enabling early diagnosis. This raises several ethical questions and the potential benefits of early diagnosis must be weighted against possible disadvantages. Currently, there are few strong arguments favouring early diagnosis, due to the lack of disease modifying therapy. Also, available diagnostic methods risk erroneous classifications, with potentially grave consequences. However, a possible benefit of early diagnosis even without disease modifying therapy is that it may enable early decision making when patients still have full decision competence, avoiding problems of hypothetical consents. It may also help identifying patients with cognitive dysfunction secondary to other diseases that may be responsive to treatment already today.

Survey of medical training in cytopathology carried out by the journal Cytopathology

This report of the Editorial Advisory Board of Cytopathology gives the results of a survey of medical practitioners in cytopathology, which aimed to find out their views on the current situation in undergraduate and postgraduate training in their institutions and countries. The results show that training in cytopathology and histopathology are largely carried out at postgraduate level and tend to be organized nationally rather than locally. Histopathology was regarded as essential for training in cytopathology by 89.5% of respondents and was mandatory according to 83.1%. Mandatory cytopathology sections of histopathology were reported by 67.3% and specific examinations in cytopathology by 55.4%. The main deficiencies in training were due to its variability; there were insufficient numbers of pathologists interested in cytology and a consequent lack of training to a high level of competence. Pathologists without specific training in cytopathology signed out cytology reports according to 54.7% of responses, more often in centres where training was 3-6 months or less duration. Although 92.2% of respondents thought that specialist cytology should not be reported by pathologists without experience in general cytopathology, that practice was reported by 30.9%, more often in centres with small workloads. The survey report recommends that 6-12 months should be dedicated to cytopathology during histopathology training, with optional additional training for those wanting to carry out independent practice in cytopathology. Formal accreditation should be mandatory for independent practice in cytopathology. When necessary, temporary placements to centres of good practice should be available for trainees intending to practise independently in cytopathology. There should be adequate numbers of pathologists trained in cytopathology to a high level of competence; some of their time could be released by training cytotechnologists and trainee pathologists to prescreen cytology slides and assess adequacy of fine-needle aspiration samples when immediate diagnosis was not required. The survey demonstrated a clear need for European and international guidelines for training in cytopathology.

The challenges of organising cervical screening programmes in the 15 old member states of the European Union

Cervical cancer incidence and mortality can be reduced substantially by organised cytological screening at 3 to 5 year intervals, as was demonstrated in the Nordic countries, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and parts of Italy. Opportunistic screening, often proposed at yearly schedules, has also reduced the burden of cervical cancer in some, but not all, of the other old member states (belonging to the European Union since 1995) but at a cost that is several times greater. Well organised screening programmes have the potential to achieve greater participation of the target population at regular intervals, equity of access and high quality. Despite the consistent evidence that organised screening is more efficient than non-organised screening, and in spite of the Cancer Screening Recommendations of the European Council, health authorities of eight old member states (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain) have not yet started national organised implementation of screening for cervical cancer. A decision was made by the Irish government to extend their pilot programme nationally while new regional programmes commenced in Portugal and Spain. Introduction of new methods of prevention, such as HPV screening and prophylactic HPV vaccination, can reduce the burden further, but this will require a high level of organisation with particular attention needed for the maximisation of population coverage, compliance with evidence-based guidelines, monitoring of data enabling continued evaluation and improvement of the preventive programmes.