Direct mailing of HPV self-sampling kits to women aged 50-65 non-participating in cervical screening in the Czech Republic

BACKGROUND

A population-based cervical cancer screening programme is implemented in the Czech Republic. However, participation is insufficient among women over 50 years. This study aimed to estimate the potential improvement in participation through directly mailed HPV self-sampling kits (HPVssk) compared with standard invitation letters in women aged 50-65 non-participating in screening.

METHODS

The study recruited 1564 eligible women (no cervical cancer screening in the last 3 years or more, no previous treatment associated with cervical lesions or cervical cancer). Eight hundred women were mailed with an HPVssk (HPVssk group), and 764 women were sent a standard invitation letter (control group) inviting them to a routine screening (Pap test). The primary outcome was a comparison of the overall participation rate between study groups using a binominal regression model.

RESULTS

The participation rate in the HPVssk group was 13.4% [95% confidence interval (CI) 11.2-15.9%; 7.4% of women returned the HPVssk and 6.0% attended gynaecological examination] and 5.0% (95% CI 3.6-6.8%) in the control group. Using the binominal regression model, the difference between the groups was estimated as 7.6% (95% CI 5.0-10.2%; P < 0.001). In the HPVssk group, 22% of women who returned HPVssk had a positive result and 70% of them underwent a follow-up examination.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with traditional invitation letters, the direct mailing of the HPVssk achieved a significantly higher participation rate, along with a notable HPV positivity rate among HPVssk responders. This approach offers a potentially viable method for engaging women who have not yet attended a cervical screening programme.

The Endocannabinoid System - The Prediction of Spontaneous Preterm Birth in High-Risk Women: Protocol of a Study

Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) is a major cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality, even in developed countries. Prediction of sPTB is therefore a valuable tool to reduce the associated risks. The current standard for the prediction of sPTB consists, in addition to anamnestic data, of previous sPTB and previous second trimester miscarriage, measurement of cervical length by transvaginal ultrasound (TVU CL) together with assessment of fetal fibronectin levels in cervicovaginal fluid. Other evaluation parameters, such as the level of endocannabinoids in the pregnant woman's blood, could increase the sensitivity of this management. Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are a part of the endocannabinoid system (ECS); out of them anandamide (arachidonoyl-ethanolamide, AEA), in particular, plays an important role in the regulation of pregnancy and childbirth. We present the protocol for an open, non-randomized study to evaluate concentrations of AEA and other endocannabinoids: 2 linoleoylglycerol (2-AG), 2 linoleoylglycerol (2-LG), 2 oleoylglycerol (2-OG), and 2 arachidonoyldopamine (2-ADOPA or also NADA) in the blood of pregnant women as potential predictors of sPTB. In a total of 230 women with a history of sPTB or miscarriage, eCBs levels between 22 and 28 weeks of gestation will be assessed from maternal blood, in addition to the standard procedure. The aim of the study is to determine the relationship between blood concentrations of the endocannabinoids tested and the risk of sPTB. The results of this study will describe the prognostic significance of maternal blood eCBs levels for sPTB, and could subsequently enable improved screening programs for early identification of sPTB.

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours of the Rectum - Evaluating the National Registry Data with Respect to its Use in Clinical Practice

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are rare malignant mesenchymal tumours with an incidence of 1 in 100,000. They represent only 5% of gastrointestinal tumours. The GISTs are mainly located in the stomach (60-70%) and in the rectum in &lt; 5% of cases. In the case of localized, resectable tumours, the treatment is surgical resection. Depending on the size and localization of the tumour in the rectum, either a local excision, rectal resection with anastomosis, or abdominoperitoneal amputation with permanent stoma can be performed. In contrast to carcinomas, the metastasis of GISTs into lymph nodes is rare; therefore, from an oncological point of view, lymphadenectomy in the form of mesorectal excision is not required. Neoadjuvant treatment using tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKI) is recommended for tumours larger than 5 cm and in case of tumours infiltrating surrounding organs or sphincters in order to achieve complete resectability, less mutilating and continent procedure. In GISTs with a positive resection line, re-resection can be attempted. Adjuvant TKI therapy can be considered in cases of CD117 positivity and after resections of GISTs with medium and high-risk malignant behaviour. The TKI treatment is also indicated in cases of unresectable and metastatic GISTs.

METHODS

Data obtained from the GIST registry by the 1st January 2017, when 10 centres in the Czech Republic were contributing to the registry, were analysed.

RESULTS

We analysed 1,095 patients out of which 45 (4.1%) had GIST localized in the rectum. The average age of the patients was 60 years. There were significantly more males (68.9%; p = 0.0007) and symptomatic patients (62.2%; p = 0.034). In total, 82% of the patients underwent surgery. Local excision was performed in 37.8%, resection of the rectum with anastomosis in 29.7%, and Miles operation in 29.7%. In the cohort, most tumours were 2-5 cm in size and almost half of the tumours presented a high risk of malignant behaviour. Systemic treatment was reported in 73% of patients. A complete remission was achieved in 80% of patients with GIST of the rectum. The median survival rate was 11.3 years and the 5-year survival rate is 90.6%.

CONCLUSION

Despite the success of TKI treatment, the only potentially curative method of rectal GISTs is a surgical R0 resection. Given the relatively rare frequency of these tumours, proper diagnosis and treatment is demanding. Therefore, these patients should be preferably treated in specialised centres. This work was supported by grant MH CZ - RVO (FNBr, 65269705).  The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers. Submitted: 19. 12. 2018 Accepted: 2. 2. 2019.

Evaluation of the personalized invitation of Czech citizens to screening programs

The Czech population has high burden of malignant tumors, and screening programs are therefore an essential part of cancer control policy. At the beginning of 2014 personalized invitation of Czech citizens for cancer screening programs was launched to promote higher coverage by screening. The aim of the paper is to present the up-to-date results of the personalized invitation. The data from health insurance companies were used to evaluate the volume of invitations for cancer screening programs and the participation rate after invitation in 2014-2017. During the first four years of the project, over 6 million invitations were sent (approximately 3 million individuals were invited). Participation rates after the first invitation in the breast, colorectal and cervical screening were 22.3%, 21.7% and 15.5%. However, the effect of personalized invitations decreases with repeated invitations to participate. Personalized invitation contributed to screening in hundreds of thousands citizens, but a large proportion of invited people still do not participate. It is necessary to encourage personalized invitation and discuss other strategies to motivate the public to participate in screening programs.