Visual inspection with acetic acid and cytology in the early detection of cervical neoplasia in Kolkata, India

Implementing community-based cervical cancer screening programs using visual inspection with acetic acid in India: A systematic review

The objective of this review was to systematically appraise the existing published literature about community-based cervical cancer screening programs that have used visual inspection methods using acetic acid (VIA) in India. All peer reviewed journal articles till December 2015 were searched per PRISMA guidelines. Articles reporting results from cervical cancer screening programs in community-based settings, conducted in India, and using VIA were included in this review. The search resulted in 20 articles to be included in the review with a total of 313,553 women at 12 unique urban and rural sites across India. Seventeen (85%) studies were cross-sectional and three studies were randomized controlled trials; most studies compared accuracy of VIA with other screening tests such as visual inspection using Lugol's Iodine (VILI), HPV DNA, and cytology. Of studies that reported test accuracy for CIN Grade 2+, the VIA sensitivity values ranged from 16.6-82.6% and specificity ranged from 82.1-96.8%. Women between age groups of 30-59 years were recruited using motivational one-on-one counseling and local support staff. All studies conducted diagnostic follow-up using colposcopy and guided biopsies, when necessary. Three major themes were identified that facilitated implementation of screening programs in a community-based setting: standardized training that maintained competency of test providers; collaborations with community-based organizations that used health education for recruitment of participants; and employing the screen-and-treat method to reduce loss to follow-up. Summarized evidence presented in this review could substantially influence future implementation and sustainment of cervical cancer screening programs at a national level.

Burden of cervical cancer and role of screening in India

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is a major cause of cancer mortality in women and more than a quarter of its global burden is contributed by developing countries. In India, in spite of alarmingly high figures, there is no nationwide government-sponsored screening program. This study was conducted to assess the burden of cervical cancer in India and review the performance characteristics of available cervical cancer screening tools, so as to provide evidence-based recommendations for application of most practically suited screening test to be used in resource-poor field settings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MEDLINE and Web of Science electronic database were searched from January 1990 to December 2015, using the keywords such as "cervical cancer", "screening", "early detection", "cervical cytology" and "visual inspection", and their corresponding MeSH terms in combination with Boolean operators "OR, AND." Two authors independently selected studies that are published in English and conducted in India. A total of 11 studies were found to be relevant and eligible to be included in the present study.

RESULTS

In India, cervical cancer contributes to approximately 6-29% of all cancers in women. The age-adjusted incidence rate of cervical cancer varies widely among registries; highest is 23.07/100,000 in Mizoram state and the lowest is 4.91/100,000 in Dibrugarh district. The pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity of visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), magnified VIA, visual inspection with Lugol's iodine (VILI), cytology (Pap smear), and human papillomavirus DNA were found to be 67.65% and 84.32%, 65.36% and 85.76%, 78.27% and 87.10%, 62.11% and 93.51%, and 77.81% and 91.54%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In developing countries because of lack of necessary infrastructure and quality control, high-quality cytology screening may not be feasible for wide-scale implementation. Hence, cervical cancer screening program based on visual screening test such as VIA/VILI should be adopted as an integral part of primary health-care setup in resource-poor countries like India.

Cervical Cancer Screening Program by Visual Inspection: Acceptability and Feasibility in Health Insurance Companies

Objective. To assess willingness to participate and diagnostic accuracy of visual inspection for early detection of cervical neoplasia among women in a health insurance company. Patients and Method. Cervical cancer screening was systematically proposed to 800 women after consecutive information and awareness sessions. The screening method was visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) or Lugol's iodine (VILI). Results. Among the 800 identified women, 640 (82%) have accepted the screening, their mean age was 39 years, and 12.0% of them were involved in a polygamist couple. 28.2% of women had prior cervical screening. VIA has been detected positive in 5.9% of women versus 8.6% for VILI. The sensitivity was 72.9% and specificity was 95.2% for VIA versus 71.2% and 97.3% for VILI respectively. The histological examination highlighted a nonspecific chronic cervicitis in 4.6%, CIN1 lesions in 5.91%, and CIN2/3 in 1.2% of the cases. Conclusion. Cervical cancer screening by visual inspection showed appropriate diagnostic accuracy when used to detect early cervical lesions. It is a simple and easy to perform method that could be introduced progressively in the health insurance policy while waiting for a national screening program.

Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) Screening Program: 7 Years Experience in Early Detection of Cervical Cancer and Pre-Cancers in Rural South India

Cervical cancer continues to be a major public health problem in India in the absence of wide spread organised cervical screening programs. Visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) is an effective, inexpensive screening test that can be combined with simple treatment procedures for early cervical lesions, provided by trained health workers. We report 7 years experience in early detection of cervical cancer and pre-cancers using the VIA test in a community-based program in rural Andhra Pradesh, India where there are no existing organised cervical screening programs.

Cancer Screening: Should Cancer Screening be Essential Component of Primary Health Care in Developing Countries?

Background:

Cancer is a fatal disease and is on the rise across the globe. In India, breast, cervix and the oral cavity are the leading cancer sites, but, unfortunately, in-spite of availability of screening tools, there is no organized cancer screening program in India. The main objective of this study was to review the performance of various cancer screening modalities in a resource poor setting.

Methods:

MEDLINE and web of science electronic database was searched from January 1990 to December 2013, using keywords such as “breast cancer, cervical cancer, oral cancer and their corresponding mesh terms were also used in combination with Boolean operators OR, AND.” Two authors independently selected studies published in English and conducted in India. A total of 16 studies was found relevant and eligible for the review. The data on sensitivity and specificity of various screening tool was extracted and analyzed.

Results:

Most of the reported screening trails in India are on cervical cancer and few on breast and oral cancer screening. The pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity of cervical cancer screening test such as visual inspection with acetic acid, magnified visual inspection with acetic acid, visual inspection with Lugol's iodine, cytology (Papanicolaou smear) and human papillomavirus deoxyribonucleic acid was found to be 68.76% and 84.02%, 63.27% and 85.43%, 81.86% and 87.03%, 63.25% and 93.17% and 75.04% and 91.66%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of clinical breast examination was found to be 94.30% and 94.30%, respectively. Oral cancer screening through visual inspection by trained health care worker was found to have 87.90% sensitivity and 92.05% specificity.

Conclusions:

Our study highlights the availability and success of visual screening tools in early detection and mortality reduction of major neoplasia in resource-poor health care settings and recommends implementation of oral and cervical cancer screening as part of assured primary health care package in developing countries.

Can Genomic Amplification of Human Telomerase Gene and C-MYC in Liquid-Based Cytological Specimens Be Used as a Method for Opportunistic Cervical Cancer Screening?

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of five methods including the ThinPrep cytological test (TCT), liquid-based cytology, the human papillomavirus (HPV) test, detection of the TERC and C-MYC genes and visual inspection with acetic acid/Lugol's iodine (VIA/VILI) for opportunistic cervical cancer screening, and to explore whether genomic amplification of the human telomerase gene and C-MYC in liquid-based cytological specimens can be used as a method for opportunistic cervical cancer screening.

METHODS

Data were collected prospectively from 1,010 consecutive patients who visited the gynecology clinic and agreed to participate in opportunistic cervical cancer screening at our institution from November 2010 to July 2011. The five methods mentioned above were used for the screening in all cases. The histopathological diagnosis served as the gold standard for the evaluation. A comparison between the five screening methods for the diagnosis of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN II and III) was performed for their sensitivity, specificity, false-positive rate, false-negative rate, accuracy rate, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio. A comprehensive comparison of the different combination programs for screening was performed according to the analysis of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve area. The accuracy of the five screening methods for the diagnosis of high-grade CIN (CIN II and III) was compared in the different age groups. A joint model for the diagnosis using different combinations of the five methods was developed according to the analysis by the SAS 8.0 software. The model was used to evaluate the accuracy of the different combination programs for the diagnosis of high-grade CIN, and the results were confirmed by the histopathological examination.

RESULTS

The sensitivity and specificity of the single screen method (TCT, HPV test, detection of the TERC and C-MYC genes, and VIA/VILI method) for CIN II was 80.9, 70.2, 72.3, 76.6, and 72.3%, as well as 98.0, 95.1, 96.3, 96.3, and 90.4%, respectively. The sensitivity of the single screening method in four different age groups (25-34, 35-44, 45-54 and 55-66 years) was as follows: TCT, 64.3, 90.9 76.5, and 85.7%; HPV test, 78.6, 72.7, 60.0, and 71.4%; the TERC gene, 50.0, 90.9, 80.0, and 71.4%; the C-MYC gene, 50.0, 90.9, 80.0, and 100%; VIA/VILI, 85.7, 81.8, 66.7, and 42.9%. The specificity was: TCT, 98.9, 98.1, 98.8, and 95.2%; HPV test, 96.7, 95.1, 92.2, and 100%; the TERC gene, 95.0, 98.9, 94.0, and 95.2%; the C-MYC gene, 97.2, 97.3, 93.4, and 97.6%; VIA/VILI, 91.2, 90.5, 89.8, and 88.1%, respectively. In the joint model for the diagnosis using different combinations, we found Logit (P) = 5.757 - 4.055 × TCT - 3.724 × HPV. The sensitivity and specificity in the combination program with TCT (primary screening) and HPV testing (adjunct screening) were 78.7 and 99.5%, while in the combination with HPV (primary) and TCT (adjunct), they were 53.2 and 99.7%, respectively. However, in the cytology-HPV parallel test, they were 97.9 and 93.4%. The ROC analysis revealed that the cytology-HPV parallel test is superior to the combinations of either TCT (primary) and HPV (adjunct) or HPV (primary) and TCT (adjunct; AUCTCT-HPV parallel test = 0.956; AUCTCT/primaryHPV/adjunct = 0.764).

CONCLUSIONS

Opportunistic cervical cancer screening is a practical approach to improve the efficiency of cervical cancer screening. Although the accuracy of TCT is the highest of the five screening methods for the diagnosis of high-grade CIN, it is still subject to sample acquisition and the practitioner's skill and experience. Since the efficacy of VIA/VILI may vary in all ages, it is not recommended for menopausal and perimenopausal women.

Feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid and cryotherapy for dysplasia in Nigeria

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) and treatment of dysplasia with cryotherapy in Nigeria.

METHODS

A prospective study was conducted at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria, between August 1, 2006, and July 31, 2009. Women aged 20-65 years who had had their sexual debut at least 3 years previously were screened for cervical dysplasia using VIA. Women with positive test results were offered cryotherapy immediately after screening.

RESULTS

Overall, 5529 women (mean age 40.24 ± 10.33 years) underwent screening with VIA. Dysplasia was detected among 317 (5.7%) women. Lesions suspicious for cancer were recorded among 52 (1.0%) women; histological diagnosis of invasive cervical cancer was confirmed in 38 (0.7%) women. VIA was as expected or better for 5330 (96.4%) women screened. Cryotherapy was as expected or better for 219 (99.5%) women who received treatment. Among 127 women who underwent cryotherapy and had repeat screening, 121 (95.3%) had negative test results after 1 year.

CONCLUSION

Cervical cancer screening using VIA and cryotherapy was feasible and effective despite scarce resources in the Nigerian health system. Furthermore, this approach was socially and culturally acceptable.

Evaluation of the accuracy in detecting cervical lesions by nurses versus doctors using a stationary colposcope and Gynocular in a low-resource setting

OBJECTIVES

Evaluation of the performance of VIA (visual inspection with acetic acid) trained nurses to learn colposcopy and the Swede score method to detect cervical lesions by using stationary colposcope or a portable, hand-held colposcope; the Gynocular, as compared to doctors.

DESIGN

A crossover randomised clinical trial.

SETTING

The Colposcopy Clinic of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh.

PARTICIPANTS

932 women attending the clinic as either screening naïve for VIA screening (404) or women referred as VIA positive (528) from other VIA screening centres in the Dhaka region.

INTERVENTION

VIA trained nurses were trained on-site in colposcopy and in the Swede score systematic colposcopy method. The Swede score grade cervical acetowhiteness, margins plus surface. vessel pattern, lesion size and iodine staining. The women were randomised to start the examination by either a stationary colposcope or the Gynocular. Swede scores were first obtained by a nurse and the same patient was equally evaluated by a doctor.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Agreement between nurses and doctors in Swede scores was evaluated using the weighted κ statistic for the Gynocular and standard colposcope. The ability to predict CIN 2+ (CIN 2, CIN 3 and invasive cervical cancer) using Swede scores was evaluated using receiver-operating characteristic curves.

RESULTS

The Swede scores obtained by nurses and doctors using the Gynocular and stationary colposcope showed high agreement with a κ statistic of 0.858 and 0.859, respectively, and no difference in detecting cervical lesions in biopsy. Biopsy detected CIN 2+ in 39 (4.2%) women.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that VIA nurses can perform colposcopy. There was no significant differences compared to doctors in detecting cervical lesions by stationary colposcope or the Gynocular using the Swede score system. Swede scores obtained by nurses using the Gynocular could offer an accurate cervical diagnostic approach in low resource settings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN53264564.

Effectiveness of a two-stage strategy with HPV testing followed by visual inspection with acetic acid for cervical cancer screening in a low-income setting

The World Health Organization recently advocated a two-stage strategy with human papillomavirus (HPV) testing followed by visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) as a suitable option for cervical cancer screening. However, its accuracy has never been directly assessed in the context of primary screening. To evaluate effectiveness of HPV testing on self-obtained specimens (self-HPV) followed by VIA (sequential testing) in a low-income setting, we recruited 540 women aged between 30 and 65 years in two Cameroonian periurban areas. Eligible women were counseled about cervical cancer and how to perform self-sampling. HPV positive and a random sample of HPV-negative women were called back for VIA and biopsy. Disease was defined by interpretation of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia Grade 2 or worse (CIN2+). Performances of VIA, self-HPV and sequential testing were determined after adjustment for verification bias. HPV prevalence was 27.0%. VIA positivity was 12.9% and disease prevalence was 5%. Sensitivity and specificity of VIA for CIN2+ were 36.4% [95% confidence interval (CI): 15.2-64.6%] and 90.4% (95% CI: 85.4-93.7%), respectively. Sensitivity of self-HPV [100.0% (95% CI: 79.6-100.0%)] was 66% higher than that of sequential testing [33.3% (95% CI: 15.2-58.3%)]. Meanwhile, specificity of self-HPV [74.5% (95% CI: 70.6-78.1%)] was 22% lower than that of sequential testing [96.7% (95% CI: 94.8-97.9%)]. A two-stage screening strategy with self-HPV followed by VIA improves specificity of cervical cancer screening, but at the cost of an important loss of sensitivity. Ways to improve VIA performance or other tools are needed to increase positive predictive value of HPV testing.

Advancing cervical cancer prevention in India: implementation science priorities

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in India, accounting for 17% of all cancer deaths among women aged 30 to 69 years. At current incidence rates, the annual burden of new cases in India is projected to increase to 225,000 by 2025, but there are few large-scale, organized cervical cancer prevention programs in the country. We conducted a review of the cervical cancer prevention research literature and programmatic experiences in India to summarize the current state of knowledge and practices and recommend research priorities to address the gap in services. We found that research and programs in India have demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of cervical cancer prevention efforts and that screening strategies requiring minimal additional human resources and laboratory infrastructure can reduce morbidity and mortality. However, additional evidence generated through implementation science research is needed to ensure that cervical cancer prevention efforts have the desired impact and are cost-effective. Specifically, implementation science research is needed to understand individual- and community-level barriers to screening and diagnostic and treatment services; to improve health care worker performance; to strengthen links among screening, diagnosis, and treatment; and to determine optimal program design, outcomes, and costs. With a quarter of the global burden of cervical cancer in India, there is no better time than now to translate research findings to practice. Implementation science can help ensure that investments in cervical cancer prevention and control result in the greatest impact.

Advancing cervical cancer prevention in India: implementation science priorities

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in India, accounting for 17% of all cancer deaths among women aged 30 to 69 years. At current incidence rates, the annual burden of new cases in India is projected to increase to 225,000 by 2025, but there are few large-scale, organized cervical cancer prevention programs in the country. We conducted a review of the cervical cancer prevention research literature and programmatic experiences in India to summarize the current state of knowledge and practices and recommend research priorities to address the gap in services. We found that research and programs in India have demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of cervical cancer prevention efforts and that screening strategies requiring minimal additional human resources and laboratory infrastructure can reduce morbidity and mortality. However, additional evidence generated through implementation science research is needed to ensure that cervical cancer prevention efforts have the desired impact and are cost-effective. Specifically, implementation science research is needed to understand individual- and community-level barriers to screening and diagnostic and treatment services; to improve health care worker performance; to strengthen links among screening, diagnosis, and treatment; and to determine optimal program design, outcomes, and costs. With a quarter of the global burden of cervical cancer in India, there is no better time than now to translate research findings to practice. Implementation science can help ensure that investments in cervical cancer prevention and control result in the greatest impact.

Accuracy of several cervical screening strategies for early detection of cervical cancer: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this study were to assess the accuracy of 6 common cervical screening strategies, including visual inspection with acetic acid, with a magnifying device, or with Lugol iodine (VILI), human papillomavirus testing with Hybrid Capture 2 assay, conventional Papanicolaou smear, and thin liquid-based cytology (LBC), and then to compare data obtained by the aforementioned 6 strategies.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library were systematically searched for all original relevant studies about early detection of cervical cancer. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the accuracy of the 6 screening strategies covering sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS

Fifteen articles containing 22 cross-sectional studies were finally identified. The combined estimates of sensitivity for visual inspection with acetic acid, magnified visual inspection with acetic acid, VILI, Hybrid Capture 2 assay, conventional Papanicolaou smear, and LBC were 77%, 64%, 91%, 74%, 59%, and 88%, respectively; the combined values of specificity of these screening strategies were 87%, 86%, 85%, 92%, 94%, and 88%, respectively; the diagnostic odds ratio were 22.43, 10.30, 57.44, 33.26, 22.49, and 51.56, respectively; and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.8918, 0.7737, 0.9365, 0.9486, 0.9079, and 0.9418, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis suggests that LBC appeared to be promising in primary cervical cancer screening in resourced regions, and VILI might be a good choice to identify/exclude cervical cancerous and precancerous lesions in resource-constrained regions.

Cervical cancer awareness and screening in Botswana

OBJECTIVE

Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of death in many developing countries because limited screening by Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. We sought to better understand women's beliefs about cervical cancer and screening in Botswana, a middle-income African country with high rates of cervical cancer.

METHODS

We interviewed 289 women attending general medicine or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) clinics, where Pap testing was available, in Gaborone, Botswana, in January 2009.

RESULTS

About three fourths (72%) of the respondents reported having ever had a Pap smear; HIV-positive women were more likely to have had a Pap smear than HIV-negative women (80% vs 64%; odds ratio, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-3.55). Screening was also more common among women who were older, had higher incomes, or had heard of cervical cancer. Almost all participants reported a desire to have a Pap smear. Reasons included to determine cervical health (56%), to improve overall health (33%), and to obtain early treatment (34%). About half (54%) of the respondents said they did not know what causes cervical cancer, and almost none attributed the disease to human papillomavirus infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Study findings can inform interventions that seek to increase cervical cancer awareness and uptake of screening as it becomes more widely available.

Cervical cancer screening in primary health care setting in Sudan: a comparative study of visual inspection with acetic acid and Pap smear

OBJECTIVE

To determine the feasibility of visual inspection with the use of acetic acid (VIA) as a screening method for cervical cancer, an alternative to the Pap smear used in primary health care setting in Sudan, and to compare sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and histological diagnosis of positive cases of both tests.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 934 asymptomatic women living in Khartoum, Sudan, was conducted during 2009-2010. A semi-structured questionnaire containing socio-economic and reproductive variables was used to collect data from each participant. Methods of screening used were VIA and conventional Pap smear, followed by colposcopy and biopsy for confirmation of the positive results of both screening tests.

RESULTS

The tests identified altogether 119 (12.7%) positive women. VIA detected significantly more positive women than Pap smear (7.6% versus 5.1%; P = 0.004), with an overlap between the two screening tests in 19% of positive results. There was no significant difference between VIA and Pap smear findings and sociodemographic and reproductive factors among screened women. Use of colposcopy and biopsy for positive women confirmed that 88/119 (73.9%) were positive for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. VIA had higher sensitivity than Pap smear (74.2% versus 72.9%; P = 0.05) respectively. Out of 88 confirmed positive cases, 22 (25.0%) cases were invasive cervical cancer in stage 1, of which 19 versus three were detected by VIA and Pap smear respectively (P = 0.001). VIA had higher sensitivity and lower specificity than Pap smear (60.2% versus 47.7%) and (41.9% versus 83.8%) respectively. The combination of VIA/Pap has better sensitivity and specificity than each independent test (82.6% and 92.2%).

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study showed that VIA has higher sensitivity and lower specificity compared to Pap smear, but a combination of both tests has greater sensitivity and specificity than each test independently. It indicates that VIA is useful for screening of cervical cancer in the primary health care setting in Sudan, but positive results need to be confirmed by colposcopy and biopsy.

Comparison of Papanicolaou test with visual detection tests in screening for cervical cancer and developing the optimal strategy for low resource settings

OBJECTIVES

To compare the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of Papanicolaou test with visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA)/VIA using magnification devices (VIAM) and develop the best strategy for screening in low resource settings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a prospective cross-sectional study on 408 symptomatic multiparous women in the reproductive age group, sequentially using the Papanicolaou test, the VIA, and the VIAM for screening. Women with a positive screening test underwent guided biopsy and endocervical curettage. The site of biopsy was recorded. Histopathological findings were taken as the "gold" standard in comparing the methods.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) age was 32.3 (6.8) years (range, 15-49 years), whereas the mean (SD) parity was 2.9 (1.2) (range, 1-9). Abnormal cytological findings were detected in 2.9% patients, whereas the remaining smears were negative for any intraepithelial lesion or malignancy. A total of 113 cases were screened positive by one/all methods. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the Papanicolaou test, the VIA, and the VIAM were 24, 98, 42, 96, and 94%; 95, 78, 19, 99, and 79%; and 95, 78, 19, 99, and 79%, respectively, for high-grade lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

The Papanicolaou test had low sensitivity but high specificity, whereas visual detection methods had a high sensitivity in addition to being cheaper. Alternative methods of screening such as VIA/VIAM can be a valuable alternative to the Papanicolaou test for cervical cancer screening in low resource settings. Visual inspection using magnification devices may be of benefit over VIA in doubtful cases.

Effectiveness of VIA, Pap, and HPV DNA testing in a cervical cancer screening program in a peri-urban community in Andhra Pradesh, India

Background

While many studies have compared the efficacy of Pap cytology, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA assays for the detection cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cancer, few have evaluated the program effectiveness.

Methods and Findings

A population-based sample of 5603 women from Medchal Mandal in Andhra Pradesh, India were invited to participate in a study comparing Pap cytology, VIA, and HPV DNA screening for the detection of CIN3+. Participation in primary screening and all subsequent follow-up visits was rigorously tracked. A 20% random sample of all women screened, in addition to all women with a positive screening test result underwent colposcopy with directed biopsy for final diagnosis. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were adjusted for verification bias. HPV testing had a higher sensitivity (100%) and specificity (90.6%) compared to Pap cytology (sensitivity  =  78.2%; specificity = 86.0%) and VIA (sensitivity = 31.6%; specificity = 87.5%). Since 58% of the sample refused involvement and another 28% refused colposcopy or biopsy, we estimated that potentially 87.6% of the total underlying cases of CIN3 and cancer may have been missed due to program failures.

Conclusions

We conclude that despite our use of available resources, infrastructure, and guidelines for cervical cancer screening implementation in resource limited areas, community participation and non-compliance remain the major obstacles to successful reduction in cervical cancer mortality in this Indian population. HPV DNA testing was both more sensitive and specific than Pap cytology and VIA. The use of a less invasive and more user-friendly primary screening strategy (such as self-collected swabs for HPV DNA testing) may be required to achieve the coverage necessary for effective reduction in cervical cancer mortality.

A package of primary health care services for comprehensive family-centred HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs in low-income settings

Particularly in resource-limited settings, HIV/AIDS is a family concern. Separate services for children and adults may make accessing care more difficult for families than services where family members can be cared for together. Implicit in comprehensive, family-centred approaches to care are the broader notions of longitudinal primary care and linkages to other services, including those based in communities. As highly-active antiretroviral therapy becomes more available, and the direct burden of HIV-associated morbidity diminishes, HIV-infected individuals require primary care that goes beyond exclusive management of HIV and related conditions, including preventive services and the management of common medical issues. The prevention of tuberculosis, diarrhoea, and, in endemic regions, malaria; the addressing of debilitating depression; cervical screening; and the management of chronic cardiovascular disease and its risk factors are all of benefit to patients accessing HIV/AIDS care. Packaging such services is an effective means both of standardizing care within a program and of ensuring patients receives a full roster of available interventions. As family-centred care models develop in resource-limited settings, the availability of evidence-based service packages such as presented here will help program designers prioritize available human and materiel resources toward those interventions that improve patients' global health and well being.

The histopathologic patterns of cervical lesions and visual inspection with acetic acid on excised uterine cervices

The histologic patterns of cervical lesions as detected by visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) method were studied in 162 excised uterine cervices. There were 103 cervices of previous histologically confirmed cervical neoplasia treated by loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) or hysterectomy (group 1) and 59 cervices of hysterectomy specimens without known cervical pathology (group 2). Each freshly received cervix was examined with naked eye, photographed, 4% acetic acid applied, and then reexamined with naked eye for any color changes. Then it was rephotographed, divided spatially into 12 segments like on a face of a clock, processed to produce hematoxylin and eosin-stained glass slides, and histologically examined. The raised dull white changes, positive VIA, were highly correlated with the higher grade of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) (CIN 2 + CIN 3). In group 1, the sensitivity of the acetic acid in detecting high-grade CIN was 98.6%, the specificity was 82.4%, the positive predictive value was 91.9%, and the negative predictive value was 96.6%. The flat white changes, negative VIA, were mostly correlated with CIN 1-koilocytosis. This study found that the validity of the VIA technique in detecting high-grade CIN was acceptable.

Alternative cervical cancer prevention in low-resource settings: Experiences of visual inspection by acetic acid with single-visit approach in the first five provinces of Thailand

BACKGROUND

After the confirmation of its safety, acceptability and feasibility in a cervical cancer prevention demonstration project in 2002, a visual inspection by acetic acid (VIA) followed by an effective treatment using cryotherapy as a single-visit approach (SVA) was recently introduced in five provinces having low Pap smear screening rates, in Thailand. The effectiveness of a screening program is usually associated with a high level of coverage; however, in low-resource settings such a high coverage is still hard to attain by the conventional Pap smear approach.

AIMS

To evaluate whether VIA/SVA can increase women's access to the prevention services in low-resource provinces of Thailand.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted by analysing electronic screening records of the provinces. A chi2 test was used in the comparisons of screening coverage between the year before and the first year of VIA/SVA implementation during 1998-2005.

RESULTS

This comparative study, which included 88 554 screening visits totally, shows a significant increase in the screening coverage of five provinces after the VIA/SVA implementation (P < 0.001). As a result of the large substitution of VIA/SVA for Pap smears, the costs of screening were lowered by as much as $US362,300 (66.8%) in the first year.

CONCLUSION

VIA/SVA has provided good screening coverage and lowered the financial burden in five low-resource provinces of Thailand. Therefore, it is promisingly competitive as a potential alternative means of cervical cancer prevention in low-resource areas.

Prevalence of human papilloma virus infection in women in rural Ethiopia

In Ethiopia cervical carcinoma is the most frequent cancer in women. HPV infection is a prerequisite for this disease. However, to date there have been no data on human papilloma virus (HPV) prevalence in Ethiopia. Outpatients attending Attat hospital in rural Ethiopia were examined for the presence of HPV DNA using the Digene HPV test. 15.9% of patients were found to be HPV positive. The proportion of HPV high risk types was 13.2% [age-standardised rates: HPV: 14.4% (95% CI: 8.5-20.2); HPV high risk: 11.6% (95% CI: 6.3-16.9)]. Compared to other countries HPV prevalence is high, especially of high risk types. Until vaccination programmes take effect, screening programmes should not be based on HPV testing alone as this will lead to significant overtreatment of healthy women.

Assessment of 2 Cervical Screening Methods in Mongolia

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to evaluate the test parameters of visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and cervical cytology in 3 Mongolian aimags.

METHODS

From February 18, 2002, to December 12, 2004, sexually active women, 30 years or older who had never been screened, underwent cervical cytology and VIA in the aimags' central hospital. Women with abnormal test results and 5% of women with normal results were recommended to have colposcopy with or without biopsy.

RESULTS

Two thousand nine women underwent both tests. Visual inspection with acetic acid was abnormal in 254 (12.6%); Pap smear showed atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or worse in 3%. Using cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 or higher disease on biopsy as the end point, the test parameters for VIA are sensitivity of 82.9% (95% CI = 81.3%-84.5%), specificity of 88.6% (95% CI = 87.2%-90.0%), positive predictive value of 12.2% (95% CI = 10.8%-13.6%), and negative predicative value of 99.7% (95% CI = 99.5%-99.9%). The test parameters for Pap smear are sensitivity of 88.6% (95% CI = 87.2%-90.0%), specificity of 98.5% (95% CI = 98.0%-99.0%), positive predictive value of 51.7% (95% CI = 49.5%-53.9%), and negative predicative value of 99.8% (95% CI = 99.6%-100%).

CONCLUSION

Visual inspection with acetic acid has an acceptable test parameter for population-based cervical screening in Mongolia.

Advocating for cervical cancer prevention

Cervical cancer is a significant health problem among women in developing countries. Contributing to the cervical cancer health burden in many countries is a lack of understanding and political will to address the problem. Broad-based advocacy efforts that draw on research and program findings from developing-country settings are key to gaining program and policy support, as are cost-effectiveness analyses based on these findings. The Alliance for Cervical Cancer Prevention (ACCP) has undertaken advocacy efforts at the international, regional, national, and local levels to raise awareness and understanding of the problem (and workable solutions), galvanize funders and governments to take action, and engage local stakeholders in ensuring program success. ACCP experience demonstrates the role that evidence-based advocacy efforts play in the ultimate success of cervical cancer prevention programs, particularly when new screening and treatment approaches-and, ultimately, radically new approaches such as a human papillomavirus vaccine-are available.

Preventing cervical cancer in low-resource settings: how far have we come and what does the future hold?

The Alliance for Cervical Cancer Prevention (ACCP) came together in 1999 to answer key research questions and to advocate for greater global and national interest in reducing the heavy burden of morbidity and mortality caused by this preventable disease. Visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), visual inspection with Lugol's iodine (VILI), and human papillomavirus (HPV) tests have been shown to be viable alternatives to traditional cytology. ACCP experience confirmed that cryotherapy is a safe and effective method that is acceptable to women and can be delivered by a range of health providers, including nonphysicians. Programs can maximize coverage by accommodating local needs and involving community leaders and women in planning and implementation. Advocacy efforts have led to significant policy changes and galvanized support for cervical cancer prevention. Despite the prospect of new HPV vaccines, screening will be needed for at least the next 30-40 years. Our experience has shown that with creativity, flexibility, and well-focused use of resources, the inequitable burden of cervical cancer borne by women in poor countries can be sharply reduced.

Screening for cervical cancer in the developing world

Cervical cancer remains the most common malignancy amongst females in countries of low income, mainly due to a lack of screening. Responsible factors are centred around inadequacies of the Pap smear: high cost; low sensitivity; the need of a laboratory with high human expertise; and a demanding logistic system for mass screening. No alternative screening method seems to be clearly advantageous. Although combinations of tests have higher sensitivities, they are complex, costly and associated with low specificities. Adding the problem of effective treatment, it seems that mass screening with adequate coverage of the population is an unreachable goal for many developing countries. The most promising development in the control of cervical cancer seems to be vaccination against the human papillomavirus, either as a preventative measure or for stimulating immunity in infected women.