Ilce Ferreira da Silva

TP53 Genetic Polymorphisms and Environmental Risk Factors Associated with Cervical Carcinogenesis in A Cohort of Brazilian Women with Cervical Lesions

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of TP53 polymorphism at codon 72 and its association with environmental risk factors in a sample of women in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 304 women with histological diagnoses of negative, precancerous, and cancerous lesions between October 2004 and May 2006. Antecedents of exposure to environmental risk factors were ascertained through an interview-administered questionnaire, and whenever indicated, colposcopy tests and lesion excisions were performed. Genomic DNA was extracted from leukocytes of peripheral blood subjects, and genotyping of TP53 polymorphism was conducted using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment-length polymorphism methods. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were ascertained for selected risk factors and allelic groups among control, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL)/cancer strata, using logistic regression analysis. The TP53 polymorphism distribution in this population was 64 (21.1%) Arg/Arg, 55 (18.1%) Pro/Pro, and 185 (60.9%) Arg/Pro. Women who were heterozygous (Arg/Pro) showed an independent risk for cervical HSIL/cancer (adjusted OR: 1.92, 95%CI: 1.03–1.59, controlled for age, ethnicity, and age at menarche) compared to Pro/Pro genotypic women. Age at sexual onset up to 16 yr old (adjusted OR: 1.97, 95%CI: 1.18–3.3), lifelong 3–4 sexual partners (adjusted OR: 2.38, 95%CI: 1.32–4.28), current smoking (adjusted OR: 2.32, 95%CI: 1.31–4.13), and smoking more than 10 yr (adjusted OR: 2.52, 95%CI: 1.042–6.09) were found to be independent risk factors for cervical HSIL/cancer. Women possessing the Arg/Pro genotype presented a higher risk for HSIL/cancer development compared to Pro/Pro genotypic women in the sample studied after control for selected confounders. Early sexual onset, multiple sexual partners, and current and past tobacco smoking were independent risk factors for HSIL/ cancer development.

Breast Cancer Awareness among Women in Western Amazon: a Population Based Cross-Sectional Study

Background: A general lack of women`s awareness of breast cancer has been one of the barriers to screening and early presentation. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate levels of knowledge about risk factors, and early warning signs of breast cancer, and to determine factors associated with better levels of comprehension. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 478 women over 40 years old, living in Rio Branco city, western Amazon. All were interviewed using the “Breast cancer knowledge, attitudes and practice scale”, developed by American Cancer Society. Results: Among the respondents, only 28.6% of women were aware that advanced age highly increases the risk. Around 30% of participants recognized nipple retraction as a sign of breast cancer. Breast cancer knowledge varied according to age in such a way that the mean scores were high from 40-69 years and decreased dramatically among those aged ≥70 (β=-0.06, p=0.031). Access to health services such as the Pap-test (β=2.45, p=0.027) and attending a gynecologist in the past two years (β=1.88, p=0.005) were statistically associated with the score of breast cancer knowledge. Conclusion: The findings indicate that women living in urban areas, having gynecological assessment, considering herself at high risk of developing breast cancer and thinking that breast cancer is a fatal disease are statistically associated with good knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, signs and symptoms, even adjusting for age and education.

Clinical and evolving features of women diagnosed with precancerous cervical lesions, screened and treated in the Amazon region of Brazil

The objective of the study was to determine the dynamics of precancerous lesions in women of a cohort treated for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and followed up over the next two years. The conditional probability of failure was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the raw and adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were determined using Cox regression with a p-value entry of < 0.05. Of the 237 women who were treated, 51.5% were accompanied over 24 months, and treatment failed for 21.9% of those accompanied. Women who had five or more pregnancies (adjusted HR = 3.10, 95%CI: 1.28-7.51) or an initial histological diagnosis of CIN II/III demonstrated an independent risk of treatment failure (adjusted HR = 3.14, 95%CI: 1.20-8.19). Being in a stable relationship was a protective factor against treatment failure (adjusted HR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.24-0.89). A history of more frequent pregnancies and a histological diagnosis of CIN II/III are directly correlated with risk of CIN treatment failure, whereas being in a stable relationship is inversely correlated with this risk.

Las características clínicas y los resultados de mujeres con un diagnóstico de lesiones precursoras de lesión cervical, seguimiento y tratamiento en la Amazonia brasileña

The objective of the study was to determine the dynamics of precancerous lesions in women of a cohort treated for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and followed up over the next two years. The conditional probability of failure was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the raw and adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were determined using Cox regression with a p-value entry of < 0.05. Of the 237 women who were treated, 51.5% were accompanied over 24 months, and treatment failed for 21.9% of those accompanied. Women who had five or more pregnancies (adjusted HR = 3.10, 95%CI: 1.28-7.51) or an initial histological diagnosis of CIN II/III demonstrated an independent risk of treatment failure (adjusted HR = 3.14, 95%CI: 1.20-8.19). Being in a stable relationship was a protective factor against treatment failure (adjusted HR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.24-0.89). A history of more frequent pregnancies and a histological diagnosis of CIN II/III are directly correlated with risk of CIN treatment failure, whereas being in a stable relationship is inversely correlated with this risk.

Características clínicas e evolutivas de mulheres com diagnóstico de lesões precursoras de câncer cervical, rastreadas e tratadas na região amazônica brasileira

The objective of the study was to determine the dynamics of precancerous lesions in women of a cohort treated for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and followed up over the next two years. The conditional probability of failure was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the raw and adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were determined using Cox regression with a p-value entry of < 0.05. Of the 237 women who were treated, 51.5% were accompanied over 24 months, and treatment failed for 21.9% of those accompanied. Women who had five or more pregnancies (adjusted HR = 3.10, 95%CI: 1.28-7.51) or an initial histological diagnosis of CIN II/III demonstrated an independent risk of treatment failure (adjusted HR = 3.14, 95%CI: 1.20-8.19). Being in a stable relationship was a protective factor against treatment failure (adjusted HR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.24-0.89). A history of more frequent pregnancies and a histological diagnosis of CIN II/III are directly correlated with risk of CIN treatment failure, whereas being in a stable relationship is inversely correlated with this risk.