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Protease inhibitor serpin-B2 (plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 [PAI-2]) protects pRb from degradation in human papillomavirus (HPV)-18+ HeLa cells. Our objective was to assess whether the pRb-mediated HPV-suppressive effect of PAI-2 in cancer cell lines has implications in the outcome of HPV infections. Cervical biopsy specimens from 225 women were analyzed for PAI-2 expression to assess its value as a predictor of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade, high-risk (HR) HPV at baseline, outcomes of HR-HPV infections, and the development of incident CIN. PAI-2 expression increased in parallel with lesion grade. Nuclear PAI-2 expression was significantly related to HR-HPV detection and had a linear relationship with HR-HPV load. PAI-2 expression was of no value in predicting the outcomes of HR-HPV infections. The same was true for PAI-2 as a predictor of surrogate end points (incident CIN 1+, CIN 2+) of progressive disease. PAI-2 expression is up-regulated on transition from CIN 2 to CIN 3. The HR-HPV suppressive effects of PAI-2 were not related to more favorable outcomes of HR-HPV infections or lower risk of disease progression to CIN., Supported by the European Commission, INCO-DEV Programme (contract ICA4-CT-2001-10013).

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of smoking on the prevalence and incidence of high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in a large sample of Latin American women. Methods: The study examines baseline data on over 12,000 women included in the Latin American Screening Study (Brazil and Argentina), and over 1000 women followed-up for a period of 36 months. Three groups were formed: never smokers, current, and past smokers. The prevalence of hr-HPV infection and CIN were compared between the study groups. In the prospective analysis, women were controlled at 6-month intervals to assess the cumulative risk of incident hr-HPV infection, smear abnormalities, and CIN. Results: A higher prevalence (21.7%) of hr-HPV infection was found among current smokers as compared to never smokers (16.5%) or past smokers (13.5%). Being current smoker was significantly (P, Supported by the INCO-DEV Program of the European Commission (Project No. ICA4-CT-2001-10013).

Drug abuse (addiction) has been listed among the risk factors for human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, but no case-control studies exist to rule out sexual behaviour and other potential confounders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of drug addiction as an independent predictor of HR-HPV infections and (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) CIN2+ in an age-matched case-control (1:4) study nested within the prospective Latin American Screening (LAMS) study cohort. All 109 women in the LAMS cohort (n=12,114) reporting drug abuse/addiction were matched with four controls (n = 436) of non-abusers strictly by age. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the co-variates of drug abuse, and the whole series (n=545) was analysed for predictors of HR-HPV and CIN2+ using univariate and multivariate regression models. Oncogenic HPV infections were significantly (P=0.019) more prevalent among abusers (37.7%) than in controls (21.9%), but there was no difference in high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (P=0.180) or CIN2+ lesions (P=0.201). In multivariate conditional logistic regression, number of lifetime sexual partners (P=0.0001), ever smokers (P=0.0001), non-use of OCs (P=0.013), ever having sexually transmitted diseases (STD) (P=0.041) and no previous Pap smear (P=0.027) were independent co-variates of drug addiction. Drug abuse was not an independent risk factor of high-risk (HR)-HPV infection, which was significantly predicted by (1) age below 30 years (P=0.045), (2) more than five lifetime sexual partners (P=0.046) and (3) being current smoker (P=0.0001). In multivariate model, only HR-HPV infection was an independent risk factor of CIN2+ (P=0.031), with adjusted OR=11.33 (95% CI 1.25-102.50). These data indicate that drug addiction is not an independent risk factor of either HR-HPV infections or CIN2+, but the increased prevalence of HR-HPV infections is explained by the high-risk sexual behaviour and smoking habits of these women., European Commission (LAMS denotes Latin American Screening study funded by European Commission), INCO-DEV Programme (Contract No. ICA4-CT-2001-10013). The generous contribution of DIGENE Inc. (USA) donating the HCII tests at our disposal is gratefully acknowledged

To assess the prediction potential of a 5-biomarker panel for detecting high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infections and/or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) progression. Five biomarkers, lipocalin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-2, p300, interleukin-10, and stratifin, were assessed in cervical biopsies from 225 women of the Latin American Screening Study. Competing-risks regression models were constructed to assess their predictive power for (i) HR-HPV outcomes (negative, transient, or persistent infection) and (ii) CIN outcomes (no progression, incident CIN1, CIN2, or CIN3). p300, LCN2, stratifin were significantly associated with prevalent HR-HPV but lost their significance in multivariate analysis. In the multivariate model, only p300 was an independent predictor of CIN3 (odds ratio=2.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-6.61; P=0.039). In univariate competing-risks regression, lipocalin predicted permanent HR-HPV-negative status, but in the multivariate model, IL-10 emerged as a independent predictor of HPV-negative status (subhazard ratio=4.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.81-9.01; P=0.001). The clinical value of the panel in predicting longitudinal outcomes of HR-HPV infection and/or incident CIN is limited., Supported by the European Commission, INCO-DEV Programme (Contract# ICA4-CT-2001-10013).

We sought to evaluate the performance of diagnostic tools to establish an affordable setting for early detection of cervical cancer in developing countries. We compared the performance of different screening tests and their feasibility in a cohort of over 12,000 women: conventional Pap smear, liquid-based cytology, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), visual inspection with Iodine solution (VILI), cervicography, screening colposcopy, and high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) testing (HR-HPV) collected by physician and by self-sampling. HR-HPV assay collected by the physician has the highest sensitivity (80 %), but high unnecessary referrals to colposcopy (15.1 %). HR-HPV test in self-sampling had a markedly lower (57.1 %) sensitivity. VIA, VILI, and cervicography had a poor sensitivity (47.4, 55, and 28.6 %, respectively). Colposcopy presented with sensitivity of 100 % in detecting CIN2+, but the lowest specificity (66.9 %). Co-testing with VIA and VILI Pap test increased the sensitivity of stand-alone Pap test from 71.6 to 87.1 % and 71.6 to 95 %, respectively, but with high number of unnecessary colposcopies. Co-testing with HR-HPV importantly increased the sensitivity of Pap test (to 86 %), but with high number of unnecessary colposcopies (17.5 %). Molecular tests adjunct to Pap test seems a realistic option to improve the detection of high-grade lesions in population-based screening programs., European Commission, INCO-DEV Programme (contract# ICA4-CT-2001-10013). The generous contribution of DIGENE Corporation (USA) donating the HCII tests at our disposal is gratefully acknowledged.

To assess whether the potentially high-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV)-related up-regulation of 14-3-3sigma (stratifin) has implications in the outcome of HPV infections or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions, cervical biopsy specimens from 225 women in the Latin American Screening Study were analyzed for 14-3-3sigma expression using immunohistochemical analysis. We assessed its associations with CIN grade and HR HPV at baseline and value in predicting outcomes of HR-HPV infections and the development of incident CIN 1+ and CIN 2+. Expression of 14-3-3sigma increased in parallel with the lesion grade. Up-regulation was also significantly related to HR-HPV detection (P = .004; odds ratio, 2.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.37-5.35) and showed a linear relationship to HR-HPV loads (P = .003). 14-3-3sigma expression was of no value in predicting the outcomes (incident, persistent, clearance) of HR-HPV infections or incident CIN 1+ and CIN 2+. 14-3-3sigma is not inactivated in cervical carcinoma and CIN but is up-regulated on transition from CIN 2 to CIN 3. Its normal functions in controlling G(1)/S and G(2)/M checkpoints are being bypassed by HR HPV., LAMS, Latin American Screening Study, funded by European Commission, INCO-DEV contract ICA4-CT-2001-10013.

Bypassing the local immunological defense reactions in the cervix is one of the prerequisites for human papillomaviruses (HPV) infections to progress to intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The role of potent immunosuppressive cytokines, e.g., interleukin-10 (IL-10), depressing these local virus-specific immunological responses is incompletely studied. To assess, whether IL-10 expression in cervical HPV lesions has any implications in the outcome of HPV infections or disease progression to CIN. Baseline cervical biopsies from 225 women of the LAMS study sub-cohort were analyzed for IL-10 expression using immunohistochemistry, to assess its associations with CIN grade, and high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) at baseline, as well as in predicting outcomes of HR-HPV infections, and development of incident CIN1+ and CIN2+ in this longitudinal setting. Expression of IL-10 in cervical lesions was up-regulated most often in high-grade CIN, and IL-10 over-expression retained its value as independent predictor of CIN2+ (odds ratio (OR) = 4.92) and CIN3+ (OR = 7.51) also in multivariate model, including HR-HPV and several known covariates of IL-10 expression. Up-regulation was not related to HR-HPV detection, and showed no relationship to HR-HPV viral loads. Using longitudinal predictive indicators (SE, SP, PPV, NPV), IL-10 expression was of no value in predicting (1) the outcomes of HR-HPV infections, or (2) the surrogate endpoints (incident CIN1+, CIN2+) of progressive disease. IL-10 over-expression (along with HR-HPV) was one of the independent covariates of CIN2/3. This immunosuppressive cytokine might play an important role in creating a microenvironment that favors progressive cervical disease and immune evasion by HR-HPV., European Commission, INCO-DEV Programme (Contract# ICA4-CT-2001-10013). The generous contribution of former DIGENE Inc. (USA) donating the HC2 tests at our disposal is gratefully acknowledged.

New end points are needed in future human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine efficacy studies that accurately predict disease progression. Background: New end points are needed in future human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine efficacy studies that accurately predict disease progression. Objectives: Potential intermediate end points were analyzed in the combined New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (NIS) and the Latin American Screening (LAMS) study cohorts. Study Design and Methods: Data files of 2 international screening trials, the NIS (n = 3187) and the LAMS (n = 12,114) study cohorts, were combined, and a subcohort of 1865 (n = 854 and n = 1011 for the NIS and the LAMS, respectively) women prospectively followed up for 19.7 (median, 22.2) months was analyzed for different intermediate end-point markers of disease progression to squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 and higher (CIN1+), and CIN grade 2 and higher (CIN2+) as terminal events. Results: Altogether, 131 (7.0%), 90 (4.8%), and 39 (2.1%) cases progressed to SIL, CIN1+, and CIN2+, respectively, progression times being equal in the NIS (11.9, 16.8, and 19.6 months) and LAMS (13.6, 14.1, and 15.4 months) cohorts (P = 0.931, P = 0.335, and P = 0.535). The 2 most powerful end-point markers of disease progression to CIN2+ were high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions based on Papanicolaou test results at 6-month (odds ratio [OR] = 47.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 17.3-128.7) and 12-month (OR = 21.5; 95% CI, 5.1-90.8) follow-up visits, with longitudinal positive and negative predictive values of 42.1% and 98.0% (6 months) and 33.3% and 97.7% (12 months). Of the virological end points, more than 6 months of persistent high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) was the most powerful predictor of progression to CIN1+ (OR = 18.6; 95% CI, 2.5-136.5), with longitudinal positive and negative predictive values of 10.3% and 99.4%, respectively. No additional benefit was obtained using more than 12 months of persistent HR-HPV end point. Conclusions: High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion based on a Papanicolaou test results at 6- or 12-month follow-up visits was the most powerful end point, either considering cytological end points alone or in comparison to any of the virological end points. Of the virological end points, more than 6-month HR-HPV persistence criteria give the most powerful estimate of a progressive disease.

To examine the effect of smoking on the incidence of low- and high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in women with a baseline Pap smear of atypical squamous cells (ASC) or a low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). Objective. To examine the effect of smoking on the incidence of low‐ and high‐grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in women with a baseline Pap smear of atypical squamous cells (ASC) or a low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). Design. Prospective study in which a cohort of women with normal colposcopy and ASC/LSIL at baseline were followed at 6‐month intervals of up to 36 months. Women were grouped in post‐hoc analysis according to their smoking behavior: never (or past) smokers and current smokers. Setting. This report was based on data from the Latin American Screening Study, conducted in São Paulo, Campinas, Porto Alegre (Brazil) and Buenos Aires (Argentina). Population. A subset of 150 women derived from a cohort of 1,011 women. Methods. Multivariate Cox analysis and Kaplan–Meier curves were used. Main outcome measures. Low‐ and high‐grade CIN during follow‐up. Results. The only factor related to an increased risk of developing CIN was the positive high‐risk (hr) HPV status (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.42; 95% CI: 1.11–9.43). A total of 21 cases of incident CIN were detected during follow‐up. Of these, 11 appeared in the group of 67 smokers and 10 among the 83 non‐smoker women (log‐rank, p = 0.33). Smoking status was not associated with the risk of developing CIN (HR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.40–1.33). However, when restricting the analysis to high‐grade CIN only (11 cases), the probability of developing the disease was significantly higher among smokers (p = 0.04). Conclusions. Smoking contributes additional risk for developing high‐grade CIN in women with ASC or LSIL cytology but normal colposcopy., LAMS (Latin American Screening) study, entitled: Improving health systems towards equality‐based control of cervical cancer in Latin America, and supported by the Inco‐Dev Program of the European Commission (Project No. ICA4‐CT‐2001‐10013). The contribution of Digene Inc. (USA)

To assess whether human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is a safe enough approach to warrant extension of the screening intervals of baseline Papanicolaou (Pap)-/HPV- women in low-income settings., European Commission, INCO-DEV Programme (Contract # ICA4-CT-2001-10013). The generous contribution from DIGENE Inc. (USA) donating the HC 2 tests

Hybrid capture II (HC II) test for oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPV) was carried out in a cohort of 4284 women at their first clinical visit. Overall prevalence of HPV was 17.1%, decreasing with age from 33.9% among women below 20 years to only 11.0% among those older than 41 years. HPV prevalence was significantly higher among current smokers (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31; 95% CI 1.1–1.6), in women with two or more lifetime sexual partners (OR = 1.9; 95% CI 1.6–2.4), and those women with two or more sexual partners during the past 12 months prior to examination (OR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.2–2.2). HPV detection increased in parallel with increasing cytologic abnormality, being highest in women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (P = 0.001). Specificity of the HPV test in detecting histologically confirmed cervical disease was 85% (95% CI 83.9–86.1). Sensitivity of the HPV test in detecting histologic abnormalities increased in parallel with disease severity, ranging from 51.5% for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1 to 96.5% for CIN 3 and 100.0% for cancer, with respective decline of positive predictive value. These data suggest that HPV testing with HC II assay might be a viable screening tool among this population with relatively high prevalence of cervical disease.

Objectives: To assess the performance indicators of visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and visual inspection with Lugol's iodine (VILI) in four Latin American centres participating in the ongoing Latin AMerican Screening (LAMS) study, in settings with moderate incidence of cervical disease and with poorly to moderately well-organized cervical cancer screening. Setting: Three Brazilian centres (São Paulo, Campinas and Porto Alegre) and one Argentine centre (Buenos Aires) recruited a total of 11,834 healthy women to undergo VIA, VILI, conventional Pap smear and Hybrid Capture II (HCII). Methods: Women who had a positive result from any of these tests were subjected to colposcopy and biopsies (if necessary), and women with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) were properly treated. To control for verification bias, 5% of women with normal tests were referred for colposcopy, as were 20% of HCII-negative women. Results: Data on VIA ( n=11,834), VILI ( n=2994), conventional Pap smear ( n=10,138) and HCII ( n=4195) were available for test comparisons, calculating sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. Overall test positivity was 11.6% for VIA, 23.0% for VILI, 2.2% for Pap smear (LSIL threshold), 1.1% for Pap smear (HSIL threshold) and 17.1% for HCII. VIA was positive in 61.8% of the women with CIN 1, 57.0% of those with CIN 2, 35.0% of women with CIN 3 and in 21 of 28 (75%) of women with cancer. Approximately 10% of women with no detectable disease had an abnormal VIA. Regarding VILI, 83.3% of women diagnosed with CIN 1 and 62.5% of those with CIN 3 had an abnormal test. VILI failed to detect one of three cases of cancer. Both the sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of VIA and VILI in detecting CIN 2 or CIN 3 could be significantly improved depending on the combination with Pap smear or HCII (sensitivity up to 100.0% and specificity up to 99.8%). Conclusions: The LAMS study failed to reproduce the performance figures obtained with VIA and VILI (as stand-alone tests) in some other settings, where the prevalence of cervical disease was higher. However, a combined use of VIA or VILI with the Pap test or HCII allowed specific detection of cervical abnormalities.