Elisabete Aparecida Campos

Symptoms, CA125 and HE4 for the preoperative prediction of ovarian malignancy in Brazilian women with ovarian masses

BackgroundThis manuscript evaluates whether specific symptoms, a symptom index (SI), CA125 and HE4 can help identify women with malignant tumors in the group of women with adnexal masses previously diagnosed with ultrasound.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study with data collection between January 2010 and January 2012. We invited 176 women with adnexal masses of suspected ovarian origin, attending the hospital of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Unicamp School of Medicine. A control group of 150 healthy women was also enrolled. Symptoms were assessed with a questionnaire tested previously. Women with adnexal masses were interviewed before surgery to avoid recall bias. The Ward Agglomerative Method was used to define symptom clusters. Serum measurements of CA125 and HE4 were made. The Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm (ROMA) was calculated using standard formulae.ResultsSixty women had ovarian cancer and 116 benign ovarian tumors. Six symptom clusters were formed and three specific symptoms (back pain, leg swelling and able to feel abdominal mass) did not agglomerate. A symptom index (SI) using clusters abdomen, pain and eating was formed. The sensitivity of the SI in discriminating women with malignant from those with benign ovarian tumors was 78.3%, with a specificity of 60.3%. Positive SI was more frequent in women with malignant than in women with benign tumors (OR 5.5; 95% CI 2.7 to 11.3). Elevated CA125 (OR 11.8; 95% CI 5.6 to 24.6) or HE4 (OR 7.6; 95% CI 3.7 to 15.6) or positive ROMA (OR 9.5; 95% CI 4.4 to 20.3) were found in women with malignant tumors compared with women with benign tumors. The AUC-ROC for CA125 was not different from that for HE4 or ROMA. The best specificity and negative predictive values were obtained using CA125 in women with negative SI.ConclusionWomen diagnosed with an adnexal mass could benefit from a short enquiry about presence, frequency and onset of six symptoms, and CA125 measurements. Primary care physicians can be thereby assisted in deciding as to whether or not reference the woman to often busy, congested specialized oncology centers.

Bacterial vaginosis and inflammatory response showed association with severity of cervical neoplasia in HPV-positive women

Vaginal infections may affect susceptibility to and clearance of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and chronic inflammation has been linked to carcinogenesis. This study aimed to evaluate the association between bacterial vaginosis (BV) and inflammatory response (IR) with the severity of cervical neoplasia in HPV‐infected women. HPV DNA was amplified using PGMY09/11 primers and genotyping was performed using a reverse line blot hybridization assay in 211 cervical samples from women submitted to excision of the transformation zone. The bacterial flora was assessed in Papanicolaou stained smears, and positivity for BV was defined as ≥20% of clue cells. Present inflammatory response was defined as ≥30 neutrophils per field at 1000× magnification. Age higher than 29 years (OR:1.91 95% CI 1.06–3.45), infections by the types 16 and/or 18 (OR:1.92 95% CI 1.06–3.47), single or multiple infections associated with types 16 and/or 18 (OR: 1.92 CI 95% 1.06–3.47), BV (OR: 3.54 95% CI 1.62–7.73) and IR (OR: 6.33 95% CI 3.06–13.07) were associated with severity of cervical neoplasia (CIN 2 or worse diagnoses), while not smoking showed a protective effect (OR: 0.51 95% CI 0.26–0.98). After controlling for confounding factors, BV(OR: 3.90 95% CI 1.64–9.29) and IR (OR: 6.43 95% CI 2.92–14.15) maintained their association with the severity of cervical neoplasia. Bacterial vaginosis and inflammatory response were independently associated with severity of cervical neoplasia in HPV‐positive women, which seems to suggest that the microenvironment would relate to the natural history of cervical neoplasia. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:80–86.

Phylogenetic classification of human papillomavirus genotypes in high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in women from a densely populated Brazilian urban region.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE Differences in human papillomavirus (HPV) types may correlate with the biological potential and invasion risk of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2 and CIN 3). The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between different combinations of HPV types and CIN severity. DESIGN AND SETTING Cross-sectional study, at Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp). METHODS Cervical samples from 106 women treated due to CIN 2 (18) or CIN 3 (88) were examined for specific HPV genotypes using Roche Linear Array (LA-HPV). The proportions of CIN 2 and CIN 3 in groups of women infected with the HPV phylogenetic groups A7 and A9 were compared. Three groups were formed: women with single infections; multiple infections; and the whole sample. RESULTS Multiple infections were detected in 68 samples (64.7%). The most frequent high-risk genotypes detected (single/multiple) were HPV 16 (57.1%), HPV 58 (24.7%), HPV 33 (15.2%), HPV 52 (13.3%), HPV 31 (10.4%), HPV 51 (7.6%) and HPV 18 (6.6%). Women without infection with HPV species Alpha 9 were less likely to have CIN 3 than were their Alpha 9 HPV-infected counterparts. HPV 16 and/or HPV 18, with or without associations with other viral types, were more frequently found in women with CIN 3 than in those with CIN 2. CONCLUSIONS The severity of high-grade CIN may be aggravated by the presence of HPV types included in the Alpha 9 phylogenetic classification and by infections including HPV 16 and 18, singly or in combination with other HPV genotypes.

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among women candidates for in vitro fertilization at a public institution of the State of São Paulo, Brazil

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) among women candidates to in vitro fertilization (IVF) in a reference public service in southeastern Brazil. METHODS: Women who were referred for IVF from April 1st, 2008 to December 31st, 2009 were enrolled sequentially in the study. A ginecological-obstetrical background questionnaire was applied and endocervical swab samples were obtained to search for CT and NG using hybrid capture and PCR. The variables studied were: age, color, education, duration of infertility, number of pregnancies and living children, history of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, number of sex partners, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), pelvic surgery, manipulation of the uterine cavity, smoking, and illicit drug use. The women were distributed according to the presence/absence of confirmed chlamydia infection and descriptive analysis was employed. RESULTS: Among 176 women tested the prevalence of CT infection was 1.1% and there was no NG infection. Two thirds of the women were >30 years old, with schooling >8 years and <5 years of infertility, and 56.2% had no children. The main background data were pelvic surgery (77.8%), manipulation of the uterine cavity (62.5%) and PID (27.8%). The tubal factor was the most prevalent, 73.3% of women (from 129), 37.5% had been sterilized, 35.8% had not been sterilized, and other factors had a prevalence <30%. CONCLUSIONS: CT and NG infections had a low prevalence in this sample. Studies at other centers in the country are needed to confirm the prevalence of infection in this particular group of infertile women.

Retrieval of HPV oncogenes E6 and E7 mRNA from cervical specimens using a manual open technology protocol

BackgroundHPV oncogenes mRNA detection gains momentum as an adjuvant for HPV-related cervical abnormalities diagnosis, but is based on costly detection assays not allowing viral type targeting.ObjectiveTo assess detection rate of HPV oncogenes E6/E7 mRNA from cervical specimens using a manual, open technology, fully customizable protocol and determine whether HPV-related epidemiological features influence mRNA retrieval. We reviewed literature and compared our retrieval rate with automated technologies.MethodsWe used 60 samples positive for HPV DNA types 16, 18, 31 and/or 45. We extracted mRNA with a TRizol-based protocol, and tested mRNA purity and concentration using light absorbance. We reverse-transcribed mRNA into cDNA for E6/7 detection.ResultsHPV oncogenes E6/E7 mRNA was retrieved from 36 (60%) out of 60 specimens. No HPV load-related clinical or epidemiological feature was significantly associated with mRNA retrieval. Presence of HPV-DNA 16/18 was associated with mRNA retrieval (OR = 9.08; 95% CI 1.26 to 65.32 for HPV 16; and 18.2; IC95% 1.86 to 391.44 for HPV 18).ConclusionsThe open-technology protocol yielded an mRNA detection rate similar to that of automated technologies. Advantages are lower costs and target HPV type customization.

Prevalence of HPV 16, 18, 45 and 31 in women with cervical lesions

PURPOSE To determine the prevalence of HPV 16, 18, 31 and 45 in cervical screening samples of women with cellular changes and/or colposcopy suggestive of persistent high grade or low grade lesion who were submitted to conization. METHODS A total of 120 women were included in the study. Histological analysis of the cervical cones revealed 7 cases of cervicitis, 22 of CIN1, 31 of CIN2, 54 of CIN3, and 6 invasive carcinomas. The cervical screening samples were analyzed before conization for the presence of HPV-DNA by PCR using the consensus primers PGMY09/11. HPV-DNA-positive samples were tested for the presence of HPV16, 18, 31 and 45 using type-specific primers for these HPV. RESULTS HPV-DNA was detected in 67.5% of the studied women. HPV 16 (40%) was the most prevalent type in most ilesions, followed by HPV 31 (13.3%), 45 (13.3%), and 18 (4.1%). Multiple infections occurred in 15% of the cases and infections with other HPV types were detected in 14% of the sample. CONCLUSIONS HPV 16 and 18 infections do not always occur as a single infection, and may be associated with other HPV types on different occasions.

Vaginose bacteriana e DNA de papilomavírus humano de alto risco oncogênico em mulheres submetidas a conização com alça diatérmica para tratamento de neoplasia intra-epitelial cervical de alto grau

PURPOSE: to analyze the association between bacterial vaginosis (BV), high-risk HPV DNA, and Pap smear abnormalities in women submitted to diathermic conization for the treatment of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2 or 3). METHODS: a descriptive clinical study with 81 women submitted to diathermic conization for the treatment of CIN 2 or 3. Initial Pap smear was performed by the time of the biopsy and was also used to verify the presence of BV. Prior to conization, samples for the detection of high-risk HPV DNA through hybrid capture II (HC II) were collected. A control visit was scheduled for four months after the conization to repeat these tests. Twenty-seven women were found to have BV and 54 were not. Statistical analysis comprised odds ratios (OR) to assess the correlations between BV and HPV detection before and after diathermic conization and cytological abnormalities. All analyses were performed with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). RESULTS: high-risk HPV DNA detection before conization was identical in both groups (89%). After conization, HPV DNA detection decreased to 26 and 18% in the groups with and without BV, respectively (OR=1.5; 95% CI 0.5 to 4.6). In addition, 41% of the women with BV and 20% without BV showed Pap smear abnormalities (OR=2.7; 95% CI 1.0 to 7.4). Regarding these 22 women with Pap smear abnormalities approximately four months after the diathermic conization, 83% of the BV group tested positive for HPV DNA compared with 50% in the group without BV (OR=5.0; IC 95% 0.5 a 52.9). CONCLUSION: women with BV presented more Pap smear abnormalities after conization when compared to the women without BV, although this was not statistically significant. This association was not related to high-risk HPV DNA.

DNA extraction from filter-paper spots of vaginal samples collected after sexual violence.

To detect the presence of male DNA in vaginal samples collected from survivors of sexual violence and stored on filter paper.

Molecular Signatures of High-Grade Cervical Lesions

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common neoplasia in women and the infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) is its necessary cause. Screening methods, currently based on cytology and HPV DNA tests, display low specificity/sensitivity, reducing the efficacy of cervical cancer screening programs. Herein, molecular signatures of cervical cytologic specimens revealed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), were tested in their ability to provide a metabolomic screening for cervical cancer. These molecules were tested whether they could clinically differentiate insignificant HPV infections from precancerous lesions. For that, high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL)-related metabolites were compared to those of no cervical lesions in women with and without HPV infection. Samples were collected from women diagnosed with normal cervix (N = 40) and from those detected with HSIL from cytology and colposcopy (N = 40). Liquid-based cytology diagnosis, DNA HPV-detection test, and LC-MS analysis were carried out for all the samples. The same sample, in a customized collection medium, could be used for all the diagnostic techniques employed here. The metabolomic profile of cervical cancer provided by LC-MS was found to indicate unique molecular signatures for HSIL, being two ceramides and a sphingosine metabolite. These molecules occurred independently of women’s HPV status and could be related to the pre-neoplastic phenotype. Statistical models based on such findings could correctly discriminate and classify HSIL and no cervical lesion women. The results showcase the potential of LC-MS as an emerging technology for clinical use in cervical cancer screening, although further validation with a larger sample set is still necessary.

Bacterial vaginosis and inflammatory response showed association with severity of cervical neoplasia in HPV-positive women: BV AND INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE IN HPV-POSITIVE WOMEN

In response to the contention that use an awkward way of describing microflora “suggestive of/compatible with” BV, which indicates intrinsic insecurity about their diagnosis of BV. The terminology used in our paper “suggestive of or compatible with” BV does not indicate intrinsic insecurity about our diagnosis of BV, but rather reflects the current diagnostic terminology for cervical cytology. The diagnosis “Shift in Flora Suggestive of Bacterial Vaginosis” is recommended by the third edition of The Bethesda System for reporting cervical cytology for cases in which “individual squamous cells are covered by a layer of coccobacilli that obscure the cell membrane, forming the so-called clue cells.” The Bethesda System also states that “Large numbers of inflammatory cells indicate a vaginitis rather than a vaginosis” and that “there is a conspicuous absence of lactobacilli.” Although what exactly “large numbers” of inflammatory cells means is not specified, it is clear that the authors of The Bethesda System did not consider the presence of any inflammation as an argument against the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis. In response to the contention that using two clue cells per high power field (HPF) (3400 magnification) does not allow to differentiate between Full blown and Partial BV, we used the criteria previously proposed by Discacciati et al., who recommended that the diagnosis of BV in Pap smears should be based on the presence of at least two clue cells per high power field (3400 magnification) after counting twenty randomly selected representative fields containing at least 10 epithelial cells per field. Discacciati et al., tested the accuracy of these standardized criteria for the diagnosis of BV in Pap smears against the most commonly used diagnostic criteria for BV, the Nugent and Amsel criteria. In Nugent’s study, a trained microbiologist analyzed Gramstained slides under 31000 magnification and bacterial morphotypes were quantified according to the Nugent score. Score of 0–3 was considered normal, score between 4 and 6 was classified intermediate, and a score >7 was considered positive for BV. The smears with an intermediate score were considered negative. Amsel’s diagnostic criteria were also evaluated by Discacciati et al. For this purpose, vaginal pH was measured during the gynecological examination, using a colorimetric pH tape that stays in contact with the vaginal wall for 1 minute. For the amine-odor (whiff) test, two drops of 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) were added to a fraction of the sample collected from the vaginal cul-de-sac. Tests were considered positive when the characteristic fishy odor was detected. The wet-mount specimen was analyzed for the presence of clue cells under 340 magnification immediately after collection of the vaginal swab. The clinical diagnosis for BV was considered positive when at least three of the *Correspondence to: Prof Dr. Silvia Helena Rabelo-Santos, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goi as, Rua 240 esquina, Goiânia, Brazil. E-mail: shrabelo@ufg.br Competing interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Disclosure of grants or other finding: No. Received 25 July 2016; Revised 29 September 2016; Accepted 21 October 2016 DOI: 10.1002/dc.23641 Published online 1 March 2017 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com).