Ethnic disparities in cancer mortality in the capital and northeast of the State of São Paulo, Brazil 2001-17.

PURPOSE: There is a paucity of studies investigating cancer disparities in groups defined by ethnicity in transitioning economies. We examined the influence of ethnicity on mortality for the leading cancer types in São Paulo, Brazil, comparing patterns in the capital and the northeast of the state. METHODS: Cancer deaths were obtained from a Brazilian public government database for the Barretos region (2003-2017) and the municipality of São Paulo (2001-2015). Age-standardized rates (ASR) per 100,000 persons-years, by cancer type and sex, for five self-declared racial classifications (white, black, eastern origin (Asian), mixed ethnicity (pardo), and indigenous Brazilians), were calculated using the world standard population. RESULTS: Black Brazilians had higher mortality rates for most common cancer types in Barretos, whereas in São Paulo, white Brazilians had higher rates of mortality from breast, colorectal, and lung cancer. In both regions, lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer death among white, black, and pardo Brazilians, with colorectal cancer deaths leading among Asian Brazilians. Black and pardo Brazilians had higher cervical cancer mortality rates than white Brazilians. CONCLUSION: There are substantial disparities in mortality from different cancers in São Paulo according to ethnicity, pointing to inequities in access to health care services.

Colorectal cancer spatial pattern in the northeast region of São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: This study examined the spatial pattern of the colorectal cancer (CRC) in the 18 municipalities that compose the Regional Health Department of Barretos (RHD-V), which is in the northeast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: All incident cases and deaths from CRC between 2002 and 2016 were included. Age-standardized rates (ASR) for incidence and mortality per 100,000 person-years were used to evaluate the spatial distribution for the total and five-year periods. The lethality rates were also assessed. Excess risk maps compared the observed and expected events. Age-standardized net survival was used to evaluate CRC survival. Results: For CRC incidence, the ASR value for the general population over the entire period (2002-2016) was 17.7 (95% CI: 16.7, 18.6), ranging from 16.7 (95% CI: 14.9, 18.4) (2002-2006) to 20.0 (95% CI: 18.3, 21.7) (2012-2016) per 100,000. When males and females were compared, the ASR was 20.1 (95% CI: 18.6, 21.6) and 15.7 (95% CI: 14.5, 17.0) per 100,000, respectively. For CRC mortality (2002-2016), the ASR was 8.2 (95% CI: 7.6, 8.9), ranging from 9.0 (95% CI: 7.8, 10.3) (2002-2006) to 8.2 (95% CI: 7.2, 9.3) (2012-2016) per 100,000. Overall, the excess risk up to 2.0 was more frequent. In terms of survival, municipalities with large port populations had lower survival in comparison with medium port. Conclusions: This study showed a variation in CRC incidence and mortality, with differences considering five-year periods and gender, being the incidence higher in males than females in the entire period, with mortality equivalent to half the incidence. The survival was lower in municipalities with large port populations in comparison with medium port. Knowing spatial patterns of incidence, mortality, lethality, and survival can be necessary to support policymakers to advance or implement effective cancer control programs.

Thyroid Cancer Incidence and Mortality by Socioeconomic Level in the State of São Paulo, Brazil 2001-2017.

OBJECTIVE: Thyroid cancer is rising largely due to greater detection of indolent or slow-growing tumors; we sought to compare the incidence and mortality profiles of thyroid cancer in the State of São Paulo by socioeconomic status (SES). METHODS: Data on thyroid cancer cases diagnosed from 2003 to 2017 in the Barretos Region and from 2001 to 2015 in the municipality of São Paulo were obtained from the respective cancer registries. Corresponding death data were obtained from a Brazilian public government database. Age-standardized rates were calculated and presented as thematic maps. The rates were also calculated by SES and spatial autocorrelation was assessed by global and local indices. RESULTS: There were 419 cases of thyroid cancer and 21 deaths in Barretos, contrasting with the highly populated São Paulo, with 30 489 cases and 673 deaths. The overall incidence rates in São Paulo (15.9) were three times higher than in Barretos (5.7), while incidence rates in women were close to five times higher in Barretos and four times higher in São Paulo than in men. Mortality rates were, in relative terms, very low in both regions. A clear stepwise gradient of increasing thyroid cancer incidence with increasing SES was observed in São Paulo, with rates in very high SES districts four times those of low SES (31.6 vs 8.1). In contrast, the incidence rates in Barretos presented little variation across SES levels. CONCLUSION: Thyroid cancer incidence varied markedly by SES in São Paulo, with incidence rates rising with increasing socioeconomic index. Overdiagnosis is likely to account for a large proportion of the thyroid cancer burden in the capital.

Geographic variations in cancer incidence and mortality in the State of São Paulo, Brazil 2001-17.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Brazil and the burden is rising. To better inform tailored cancer actions, we compare incidence and mortality profiles according to small areas in the capital and northeast region of the State of São Paulo for the leading cancer types. METHODS: New cancer cases were obtained from cancer registries covering the department of Barretos (2003-2017) and the municipality of São Paulo (2001-2015). Cancer deaths for the same period were obtained from a Brazilian public government database. Age-standardized rates per 100,000 persons-years by cancer and sex are presented as thematic maps, by municipality for Barretos region, and by district for São Paulo. RESULTS: Prostate and breast cancer were the leading forms of cancer incidence in Barretos, with lung cancer leading in terms of cancer mortality in both regions. The highest incidence and mortality rates were seen in municipalities from the northeast of Barretos region in both sexes, while elevated incidence rates were mainly found in São Paulo districts with high and very high socioeconomic status (SES), with mortality rates more dispersed. Breast cancer incidence rates in São Paulo were 30 % higher than Barretos, notably in high and very high SES districts, while corresponding rates of cervical cancer conveyed the opposite profile, with elevated rates in low and medium SES districts. CONCLUSIONS: There is substantial diversity in the cancer profiles in the two regions, by cancer type and sex, with a clear relation between the cancer incidence and mortality patterns observed at the district level and corresponding SES in the capital.

Cancer inequalities in incidence and mortality in the State of São Paulo, Brazil 2001-17.

BACKGROUND: Cancer disparities exist between and within countries; we sought to compare cancer-specific incidence and mortality according to area-level socioeconomic status (SES) in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: Cancer cases diagnosed 2003-2017 in the Barretos region and 2001-2015 in the municipality of São Paulo were obtained from the respective cancer registries. Corresponding cancer deaths were obtained from a Brazilian public government database. Age-standardized rates for all cancer combined and the six most common cancers were calculated by SES quartiles. RESULTS: There were 14,628 cancer cases and 7513 cancer deaths in Barretos, and 472,712 corresponding cases and 194,705 deaths in São Paulo. A clear SES-cancer gradient was seen in São Paulo, with rates varying from 188.4 to 333.1 in low to high SES areas, respectively. There was a lesser social gradient for mortality, with rates in low to high SES areas ranging from 86.4 to 98.0 in Barretos, and from 99.2 to 100.1 in São Paulo. The magnitude of the incidence rates rose markedly with increasing SES in São Paulo city for colorectal, lung, female breast, and prostate cancer. Conversely, both cervical cancer incidence and mortality rose with lower levels of SES in both regions. CONCLUSIONS: A clear SES association was seen for cancers of the prostate, female breast, colorectum, and lung for São Paulo. This study offers a better understanding of the cancer incidence and mortality profile according to SES within a highly populated Brazilian state.

The Usefulness of an Online Simplified Screening Questionnaire (SSQ) in Identifying Work-Related Cancers.

To obtain a history of occupational exposure in the workplace, the questionnaire is one of the main sources of information. The aim of this study was to develop an online questionnaire using the REDCap data management platform based on the Work-Related Cancer Surveillance Guidelines, reported by the Brazilian National Cancer Institute. Several issues were taken into consideration for its routine application. It should be simple, easy, capable of being applied in a short time and used in the clinical setting of collecting information on the occupational history of the cancer patient. Consequently, this could enable the compulsory notification of work-related cancer. The questionnaire was developed based on questions about the use of and exposure to carcinogenic factors at work and due to smoking. An entirely electronic version of the cancer patient interview was performed using tablets. The online questionnaire was applied at the Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, to newly diagnosed patients from July 2016 to 2018. A total of 1063 patients were included, and 550 indicated positively when asked "Do you work, or have you worked with this substance and/or in this function?/job?" Of these potentially notified patients, 38 subsequently had compulsorily reported work-related cancer. Another important result of this study was the creation and development of a website. In conclusion, we developed an online tool that could facilitate hospital routines, contributing to generating data for the compulsory notification of work-related cancer and triggering investigations and surveillance actions in Brazil.

The digital expression profile of BMP7, CDKN2C, HIST1H3G, and PKMYT1 genes improves high-grade cervical lesion detection in liquid-based cytology.

BACKGROUND: Some studies reported that differential gene expression could be used as a biomarker for high-grade cervical lesion identification. The aim was to evaluate the gene expression profile of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) to identify a gene expression signature of CIN2+ in liquid-based cytology (LBC) samples. METHODS: LBC samples (n = 85) obtained from women who underwent colposcopy were included with benign (n = 13), CIN1 (n = 26), CIN2 (n = 16), and CIN3 (n = 30) diagnoses. After RNA isolation, gene expression profiling was performed using the nCounter PanCancer Pathways, which consists of 730 cancer-related genes. The genes identified were in silico expression evaluated using the UALCAN database. An accurate prediction model to discriminate CIN2+ from

Cancer survival in the northwestern of São Paulo State, Brazil: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Population-based cancer registry (PBCR) data provide crucial information for evaluating the effectiveness of cancer services and reflect prospects for cure by estimating population-based cancer survival. This study provides long-term trends in survival among patients diagnosed with cancer in the Barretos region (São Paulo State, Brazil). METHODS: In this population-based study, we estimated the one- and five-year age-standardized net survival rates of 13,246 patients diagnosed with 24 different cancer types in Barretos region between 2000 and 2018. The results were presented by sex, time since diagnosis, disease stage, and period of diagnosis. RESULTS: Marked differences in the one- and five-year age-standardized net survival rates were observed across the cancer sites. Pancreatic cancer had the lowest 5-year net survival (5.5 %, 95 %CI: 2.9-9.4) followed by oesophageal cancer (5.6 %, 95 %CI: 3.0-9.4), while prostate cancer ranked the best (92.1 %, 95 %CI: 87.8-94.9), followed by thyroid cancer (87.4 %, 95 %CI: 69.9-95.1) and female breast cancer (78.3 %, 95 %CI: 74.5-81.6). The survival rates differed substantially according to sex and clinical stage. Comparing the first (2000-2005) and last (2012-2018) periods, cancer survival improved, especially for thyroid, leukemia, and pharyngeal cancers, with differences of 34.4 %, 29.0 %, and 28.7 %, respectively. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate long-term cancer survival in the Barretos region, showing an overall improvement over the last two decades. Survival varied by site, indicating the need for multiple cancer control actions in the future with a lower burden of cancer.

Deterministic linkage for improving follow-up time in a Brazilian population-based cancer registry.

Population-based cancer registries (PBCR) are the primary source of cancer incidence and survival statistics. The loss to follow-up of these patients is concerning since it reduces the reliability of any statistical analysis. The linkage techniques have been increasingly used to improve data quality in various information systems. The linkage was performed between the databases of the PBCR-Barretos and the mortality database of the state of São Paulo. To evaluate the improvement in the follow-up time of patients, the comparability of the two databases, pre- and post linkage, was made. Three analyses were performed: a comparative analysis of the absolute number of deaths, a comparative analysis of the follow-up time of patients and the survival analysis. After linkage, there was an increase of 813 deaths. The follow-up time of patients was extended and observed in most types of tumours. The comparability of the survival analyses at both time points also showed a decrease in survival probabilities for all tumour types. Deterministic linkage is effective in updating the vital status of registered patients, improving patient follow-up time, and maintaining good quality data from PBCRs, consequently producing more reliable rates, as seen for the survival analyses.

Acessibilidade do termo de consentimento na pesquisa clínica no Brasil / Accessibility of the consent form in Brazilian clinical research / Accesibilidad al formulario de consentimiento en la investigación clínica en Brasil

Resumo O termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido tem a função de informar o participante de pesquisas clínicas sobre a natureza da pesquisa e seus direitos, formalizando sua decisão de participar. Estudos indicam que esse documento é redigido de modo complexo, comprometendo a autonomia do participante. Para este trabalho, foram redigidos dois termos de consentimento da mesma pesquisa hipotética, com estilos de redação diferentes. Ambos os termos foram analisados pela ferramenta Coh-Metrix Port, que avalia métricas linguísticas e acessibilidade textual. A análise indicou que os textos são complexos e exigem alta escolaridade para serem entendidos. Esses achados reforçam a percepção de que, no Brasil, os termos de consentimento podem ter sua real função comprometida e apontam a importância de modificar sua forma de elaboração.

Abstract The informed consent form informs clinical research patients about the nature of the research and their rights, formalizing their decision to participate; however, studies show that this document is written in a complex manner, compromising patient autonomy. Two consent forms from the same hypothetical research were developed with different writing styles and analyzed by the Coh-Metrix Port tool, which evaluates linguistic metrics and textual accessibility. Results showed that both texts were complex and required high schooling level to be understood. These findings reinforce the perception that consent forms may have their real function compromised and point to the importance of changing its elaboration.

Resumen El formulario de consentimiento informado tiene la finalidad de mostrar la naturaleza de la investigación y sus derechos al participante de la investigación clínica para formalizar su decisión de participar en el estudio. Los estudios indican que la redacción de este documento es compleja, lo que compromete la autonomía del participante. Para este estudio se redactaron dos formularios de consentimiento de una misma investigación hipotética, con diferentes estilos de escritura. Para el análisis de ambos formularios se utilizó la herramienta Coh-Metrix Port, que evalúa las métricas lingüísticas y la accesibilidad textual. Los resultados apuntaron a que los textos son complejos, lo que requiere un alto nivel de educación para su comprensión. Estos hallazgos coinciden que, en Brasil, los formularios de consentimiento pueden tener su finalidad comprometida y señalan la necesidad de modificar su forma de elaboración.

Cancer Statistics over Time in Northwestern São Paulo State, Brazil: Incidence and Mortality.

BACKGROUND: Population studies can serve as an essential source of information on cancer's etiology, and assessments of cancer trends over time can detect changes. This study aimed to provide statistics over time on cancer incidence and mortality in the Barretos Region, Brazil. METHODS: Cancer incidence data were obtained from the population-based cancer registry of the Barretos Region, and mortality data were obtained from the Official Federal Database from 2002 to 2016. Age-standardized rates for incidence and mortality were calculated. Joinpoint Regression software was used to estimate the average annual percentage changes (AAPC). RESULTS: Age-standardized rates of incidence increased significantly for colon cancer (AAPC: 2.2), rectum and rectosigmoid (AAPC: 2.4), liver (AAPC: 4.7), female breast (AAPC: 2.2), and thyroid cancer (AAPC: 3.8) but decreased for esophageal (AAPC: -3.2), stomach (AAPC: -4.2), lung (AAPC: -2.0), and ovarian cancer (AAPC: -5.6). The mortality increased for liver cancer (AAPC: 2.3) and decreased for pharyngeal cancer (AAPC: -5.8), stomach cancer (AAPC: -6.6), cervical uterine cancer (AAPC: -5.9), prostate cancer (AAPC: -2.4), and ovarian cancer (AAPC: -3.3). CONCLUSIONS: We observed decreases in some cancers related to tobacco smoking and cervical and stomach cancers related to infectious agents, showing strong regional and national prevention programs' successes. But, we also observed rises in many cancer sites linked to lifestyle factors, such as breast or colorectal cancer, without a sign of declining mortality. IMPACT: These results can impact and support cancer control program implementation and improvement at the community level and extrapolate to the state level and/or the whole country.

Hotspot analysis by confocal microscopy can help to differentiate challenging melanocytic skin lesions.

Some melanocytic lesions do not present enough clinical and dermoscopic features to allow ruling out a possible melanoma diagnosis. These "doubtful melanocytic lesions" pose a very common and challenging scenario in clinical practice and were selected at this study for reflectance confocal microscopy evaluation and subsequent surgical excision for histopathological diagnosis. The study included 110 lesions and three confocal features were statistically able to distinguish benign melanocytic lesions from melanomas: "peripheral hotspot at dermo-epidermal junction", "nucleated roundish cells at the dermo-epidermal junction" and "sheet of cells". The finding of a peripheral hotspot (atypical cells in 1mm2) at the DEJ is highlighted because has not been previously reported in the literature as a confocal feature related to melanomas.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer-Related Hospitalizations in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Alongside the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, Brazil also faces an ongoing rise in cancer burden. In 2020, there were approximately 592 000 new cancer cases and 260 000 cancer deaths. Considering the heterogeneities across Brazil, this study aimed to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer-related hospital admissions at a national and regional level. METHODS: The national, regional, and state-specific monthly average of cancer-related hospital admission rates per 100 000 inhabitants and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated from March to July (2019: pre-COVID-19; and 2020: COVID-19 period). Thematic maps were constructed to compare the rates between periods and regions. RESULTS: Cancer-related hospital admissions were reduced by 26% and 28% for clinical and surgical purposes, respectively. In Brazil, the average hospitalization rates decreased from 13.9 in 2019 to 10.2 in 2020 per 100,000 inhabitants, representing a rate difference of -3.7 (per 100,000 inhabitants; 95% CI: -3.9 to -3.5) for cancer-related (clinical) hospital admissions. Surgical hospital admissions showed a rate decline of -5.8 per 100,000 (95% CI: -6.0 to -5.5). The reduction in cancer-related admissions for the surgical procedure varies across regions ranging between -2.2 and -10.8 per 100 000 inhabitants, with the most significant decrease observed in the south and southeastern Brazil. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a substantial decrease in cancer-related hospital admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic with marked differences across regions. Delays in treatment may negatively impact cancer survival in the future; hence, cancer control strategies to mitigate the impact are needed.

DNA Recovery Using Ethanol-Based Liquid Medium from FTA Card-Stored Samples for HPV Detection.

INTRODUCTION: Alternative methods of dry storage and transportation may be a viable alternative to the use of liquid storage medium for cervical samples, especially for screening programs in places with few resources. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to verify the viability and efficacy of human papillomavirus DNA (HPV-DNA) detection in cervical cell samples collected and stored on a Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) card (Whatman Indicating FTA® Elute Micro Card) and subsequently recovered in ethanol-based liquid medium and to compare the results to those obtained using samples stored directly in ethanol-based liquid medium. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-four women submitted to ETZ (excision of the transformation zone of the cervix) were included in this study. Before ETZ, 2 samples of exfoliated cervical cells were collected from each woman by a doctor and stored in ethanol-based liquid medium and on an FTA card. DNA recovery from FTA samples was performed using ethanol-based liquid medium. Detection of HPV-DNA in the samples was performed using the Cobas® 4800 HPV Test Platform. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The HPV-DNA detection positivity rates were 70.6% for the samples collected directly in liquid medium and 64.7% for the samples stored on the FTA card, with high detection accuracy in the DNA samples recovered from the FTA card (area under the curve = 0.958; 95% confidence interval = 0.890-1.000). The concordance between the results obtained using the 2 storage media was 94.1% (Kappa = 0.866). These preliminary results suggest that collection of cervical material on an FTA card may be an alternative to storage in liquid medium since the liquid medium has some limitations. In addition, DNA recovery from the card using ethanol-based liquid medium streamlines the workflow in the laboratory and reduces the cost associated with reagents, thereby facilitating access to the HPV test in places with few resources and potentially improving cervical cancer screening.

Cervical lesion assessment using real-time microendoscopy image analysis in Brazil: The CLARA study.

We conducted a prospective evaluation of the diagnostic performance of high-resolution microendoscopy (HRME) to detect cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in women with abnormal screening tests. Study participants underwent colposcopy, HRME and cervical biopsy. The prospective diagnostic performance of HRME using an automated morphologic image analysis algorithm was compared to that of colposcopy using histopathologic detection of CIN as the gold standard. To assess the potential to further improve performance of HRME image analysis, we also conducted a retrospective analysis assessing performance of a multi-task convolutional neural network to segment and classify HRME images. One thousand four hundred eighty-six subjects completed the study; 435 (29%) subjects had CIN Grade 2 or more severe (CIN2+) diagnosis. HRME with morphologic image analysis for detection of CIN Grade 3 or more severe diagnoses (CIN3+) was similarly sensitive (95.6% vs 96.2%, P = .81) and specific (56.6% vs 58.7%, P = .18) as colposcopy. HRME with morphologic image analysis for detection of CIN2+ was slightly less sensitive (91.7% vs 95.6%, P < .01) and specific (59.7% vs 63.4%, P = .02) than colposcopy. Images from 870 subjects were used to train a multi-task convolutional neural network-based algorithm and images from the remaining 616 were used to validate its performance. There were no significant differences in the sensitivity and specificity of HRME with neural network analysis vs colposcopy for detection of CIN2+ or CIN3+. Using a neural network-based algorithm, HRME has comparable sensitivity and specificity to colposcopy for detection of CIN2+. HRME could provide a low-cost, point-of-care alternative to colposcopy and biopsy in the prevention of cervical cancer.

Agreement Between Optoelectronic Volumetry and Circumferential Girth Measurements to Diagnose Lymphedema in Patients Submitted to Axillary Radical Lymphadenectomy for Treatment of Cutaneous Melanoma.

Background: To assess the agreement between indirect and optoelectronic volumetries to diagnose lymphedema based on arm volume difference in patients with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for cutaneous melanoma. Methods and Results: Patients were assessed by circumferential girth measurements (truncated cone formula) to determine the upper limb volumes (indirect volumetry) and by optoelectronic volumetry (Perometer®) of affected and control limbs. A diagnosis of lymphedema on each measuring method was defined as an absolute volume difference >200 mL or a relative volume >10%. Forty-six patients with ALND were included. There were no significant differences between the volume means or the mean absolute or relative differences measured by each method. Good correlation was observed between the volume of upper limbs for both the left (r = 0.998) and right (r = 0.985) arms. As for the diagnosis of lymphedema, an absolute volume difference >200 mL determined a prevalence of 28% (13/46) of lymphedema by indirect volumetry and 35% (16/46) by optoelectronics volumetry. The crude diagnostic agreement was 93% with a kappa = 85% (agreement adjusted by chance) between methods. If a 10% increase in the relative volume difference between the arms was used as the diagnostic criterion, prevalence was 20% (9/46) and 22% (10/46), respectively. Conclusion: There is good agreement between perometry and circumferential girth measurements when classifying patients as having a difference between arm volumes >200 mL or 10%, the most frequently used cutoffs to diagnose lymphedema.

The Performance of Colorectal Cancer Screening in Brazil: The First Two Years of the Implementation Program in Barretos Cancer Hospital.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in Brazil. Yet, a nationally organized colorectal screening program is not implemented. Barretos Cancer Hospital (BCH) is one of the largest Brazilian institution that cares for underserved patients. BCH developed a fecal immunochemical test (FIT)-based organized colorectal cancer screening program to improve colorectal cancer outcomes.This study aims to present the quality/performance measures of the first 2 years of the FIT-based colorectal cancer screening program and its impact on the colorectal cancer disease stage. Between 2015 and 2017, a total of 6,737 individuals attending the Outpatient Department of Prevention or the Mobile Unit of BCH, which visits 18 cities of Barretos county, ages 50 to 65 years, were personally invited by a health agent/nurse practitioner. Exclusion criteria were personal history of colorectal cancer, adenomatous polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, and colonoscopy, or flexible sigmoidoscopy performed in the past 5 years. European Union (EU) guidelines for colorectal cancer screening programs were evaluated. Overall, 92.8% returned the FIT, with an inadequate examination rate of 1.5%. Among the 6,253 adequately tested, 12.5% had a positive result. The colonoscopy compliance and completion rates were 84.6 and 98.2%, respectively. The PPVs were 60.0%, 16.5%, and 5.6% for adenoma, advanced adenoma, and cancer, respectively. Stage distribution of screen-detected cancers shows earlier stages than clinically diagnosed colorectal cancer cancers reported at BCH and Brazilian cancer registries. Our colorectal cancer screening program achieved desirable quality metrics, aligned with the EU guidelines. The observed shift toward earlier colorectal cancer stages suggests an exciting opportunity to improve colorectal cancer-related cancers in Brazil.

Evaluation of Elafin Immunohistochemical Expression as Marker of Cervical Cancer Severity.

INTRODUCTION: The main risk factor for the development of cervical cancer (CC) is persistent infection by human papillomavirus (HPV) oncogenic types. In order to persist, HPV exhibits a plethora of immune evasion mechanisms. PI3/Elafin (Peptidase Inhibitor 3) is an endogenous serine protease inhibitor involved in epithelial protection against pathogens. PI3/Elafin's role in CC is still poorly understood. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, we addressed PI3/Elafin protein detection in 123 CC samples by immunohistochemistry and mRNA expression in several datasets available at Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas platforms. RESULTS: We observed that PI3/Elafin is consistently downregulated in CC samples when compared to normal tissue. Most of PI3/Elafin-positive samples exhibited this protein at the plasma membrane. Besides, high PI3/Elafin expression at the cellular membrane was more frequent in in situ stages I + II than in invasive cervical tumor stages III + IV. This indicates that PI3/Elafin expression is gradually lost during the CC progression. Of note, advanced stages of CC were more frequently associated with a more intense PI3/Elafin reaction in the nuclei and cytoplasm. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that PI3/Elafin levels and subcellular localization may be used as a biomarker for CC severity.

The Capulana study: a prospective evaluation of cervical cancer screening using human papillomavirus testing in Mozambique.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer and related deaths among women in Mozambique. There is limited access to screening and few trained personnel to manage women with abnormal results. Our objective was to implement cervical cancer screening with human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, with navigation of women with abnormal results to appropriate diagnostic and treatment services. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled women aged 30-49 years living in Maputo, Mozambique, from April 2018 to September 2019. All participants underwent a pelvic examination by a nurse, and a cervical sample was collected and tested for HPV using the careHPV test (Qiagen, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA). HPV positive women were referred for cryotherapy or, if ineligible for cryotherapy, a loop electrosurgical excision procedure. Women with findings concerning for cancer were referred to the gynecologic oncology service. RESULTS: Participants (n=898) had a median age of 38 years and 20.3% were women living with the human immunodeficiency virus. HPV positivity was 23.7% (95% confidence interval 21.0% to 26.6%); women living with human immunodeficiency virus were twice as likely to test positive for HPV as human immunodeficiency virus negative women (39.2% vs 19.9%, p<0.001). Most HPV positive women (194 of 213, 91.1%) completed all steps of their diagnostic work-up and treatment. Treatment included cryotherapy (n=158, 77.5%), loop electrosurgical excision procedure (n=30, 14.7%), or referral to a gynecologist or gynecologic oncologist (n=5, 2.5%). Of eight invasive cervical cancers, 5 (2.8%) were diagnosed in women living with human immunodeficiency virus and 3 (0.4%) in human immunodeficiency virus negative women (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: Cervical cancer screening with HPV testing, including appropriate follow-up and treatment, was feasible in our study cohort in Mozambique. Women living with human immunodeficiency virus appear to be at a significantly higher risk for HPV infection and the development of invasive cervical cancer than human immunodeficiency virus negative women.

Detection of HPV E6 oncoprotein from urine via a novel immunochromatographic assay.

Cervical cancer is a significant public health problem, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where women have little access to cervical cancer screening; consequently 80% of cervical cancer related mortality occurs in these regions. The development of screening methods that need less infrastructure thus represents an urgent medical need. The study aims to compare the detection rates of high-risk human papillomavirus 16 and 18 E6 oncoprotein in urine, vaginal self-collected, and cervical scrapes of women using the OncoE6™ Cervical Test and compare the HPV16 and/or HPV18 E6 detection rates with the HPV DNA testing. Paired urine, vaginal self-collected and cervical specimens were collected from 124 women who participated in cervical cancer screening or treatment in this proof-of-concept study and underwent to HPV16/18-E6 testing and high-risk HPV DNA testing prior to treatment of cervical neoplasia or cancer. Concordance between urinary, vaginal and cervical HPV16/18-E6 and HPV-DNA testing was evaluated for patients classified as negative group (