Comparison of ThinPrep and SurePath liquid-based cytology and subsequent human papillomavirus DNA testing in China

"Modernizing Cervical Cytology Screening with Liquid-Based Methods at Community-Level Hospitals: A Much-Needed Breakthrough for India"

Introduction

Cervical cancer still ranks highest causing cancer-related morbidity and mortality in women in India. It is prudent to emphasise and implement cervical cancer screening strategies in the population efficiently and with regular intervals. Conventionally, PAP smear cytology is obtained by wooden spatula-Ayre's spatula. To improve sensitivity and specificity of the procedure and detection rate, better techniques of cells retrieval are available mainly liquid-based cytology (LBC), with help of cyto-brush. Literature has consistently proven efficiency of the technique and also reduced the proportion of inadequate sampling. We conduct this study to compare both the techniques and efficiency in a community hospital from data over 6 years, to asses its role and benefits among Indian women.

Aims and Objectives

To compare conventional PAP smear and liquid-based cytology techniques analysing detection rates of positive lesions (CIN and also includes ASCUS and malignant), incidence of inadequate sampling, efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Methods

This is retrospective study at tertiary care obstetric hospital affiliated to government-run medical college in a metropolitan city of Mumbai. Data are retrieved from the Pathology Department, Medical Records Department, laboratory books and OPD registers. Pap's smear sampling was done mainly from OPD with all indications including routine tests as a part of gynaecological evaluation and screening, as well as for suspicious lesions on inspection. Group A consists women who had conventional PAP smear test for 3 years (Dec 2015-Nov 2018) and Group B had women who benefited by LBC method for 3 years (Dec 2018-Nov 2021). COVID-19 pandemic majorly affected the routine gynaecological OPD practice during 2021 as hospital was COVID facility hospital.

Results

Demographic parameters and presentations were comparable and similar. LBC methods have higher detection rate for positive reports, including ASCUS. But results were comparable in both groups and not statistically different. Importantly, incidences of inadequate sampling are reduced significantly with the LBC method. Unsatisfactory smears war high in Group A (7.752%) compared to Group B (3.712%) p-value 0.005, stating the increased rate of requirement of sending repeat smears, which involves higher engagement of time, resources and active participation from healthcare personnel.

Conclusion

Good detection rates and significantly low rates of unsatisfactory smears make LBC rational and cost-effective. These are the times to switch to liquid-based cytology techniques, especially at the community level hospitals; in order to detect more women with cervical premalignant as well as malignant neoplastic lesions and to save lives. This can be made possible by emphasising the policy makers to incorporate these services through quality resources.

Application of CytoPath®Easy Vials in Cervical Cancer Screening: Self-Sampling Approach

Context

CytoPath®Easy kit (DiaPath S.p.A.) offers a major advantage compared to other commercially available kits available for the screening of cervical cancer, as it does not require additional equipment for sample processing. Using this methodology, collected epithelial cells are immersed in a preservative liquid before setting as a thin layer on a slide via gravity sedimentation.

Aims

To evaluate the suitability of the CytoPath®Easy kit for the processing of cervical samples, detection of pre-neoplastic lesions, and nucleic preservation and extraction for HR-HPV diagnosis.

Materials and Methods

A total of 242 self-sampled cervical specimens were utilized, with 192 collected in CytoPath®Easy vials and 50 collected and processed using the ThinPrepTM for comparative analysis. The samples underwent processing, Papanicolaou staining, and microscopic evaluation for morphological parameters. The extracted nucleic acids were assessed for purity and integrity, and the detection of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) was carried out using the Alinitym HR HPV system kit (Abbott Laboratórios Lda).

Results

Both methods demonstrated effective performance, enabling the morphological assessment of the cervical epithelium. Statistical analysis indicated that ThinPrepTM yielded significantly better results in terms of cellularity. Conversely, CytoPath®Easy exhibited superior performance in terms of the quantity of extracted DNA and its degree of purification. Concerning the time consumed during processing, both methods were comparable, with the CytoPath®Easy methodology standing out for its cost-effectiveness, as it does not necessitate additional instruments and consumables.

Conclusions

The novel CytoPath®Easy methodology proves effective in preserving both nucleic acids and cell morphology characteristics, two crucial features for cervical cancer screening.

A Comparison of Conventional Pap Smear and Liquid-Based Cytology for Cervical Cancer Screening

Objectives

Early diagnosis and treatment of preinvasive lesions have made cervical cytology one of the most effective methods of cancer screening in industrialized nations, which have seen a sharp decline in the incidence and death of invasive cancer. The aim of this study is to compare liquid-based cytology (LBC) and conventional Pap on cervical smears.

Materials and Methods

From July 2018 to June 2022, 600 patients were included in this cross-sectional study, which was done at the Pathology Department of a Tertiary Care Facility in Western Maharashtra.

Results

Of the 600 patients, 570 (95%) had good conventional Pap smear (CPS), whereas 30 (5%) had poor ones. Five hundred and ninety-two (98.6%) LBC smears were satisfactory, whereas 8 (1.4%) were unsatisfactory. Endocervical cells were seen in 294 (49%) CPS, whereas 360 (60%) LBC smears showed endocervical cells. The morphology of inflammatory cells was similar in both techniques. Hemorrhagic background was seen in 212 (35%) CPS and 76 (12.6%) LBC smears. Only two samples showed diathetic background, which was seen on both CPS and smear. Out of the satisfactory smears in the case of CPS, 512 (85%) cases were reported as negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM), whereas 58 (9.7%) cases were reported as epithelial cell abnormality. In LBC smears, 526 (87.3%) were reported as NILM, whereas 66 (11%) were reported as epithelial cell abnormality. Organisms were detected in 208 (34%) CPS and 162 (27%) LBC smears. Screening time was 5 ± 1 min for CPS, whereas it was 3 ± 1 min for LBC smear.

Conclusion

Mortality will be decreased using LBC on a bigger scale in nations where many smears can be made and screened in a short amount of time, with the provision of doing human papillomavirus-based testing on the remaining sample.

Diagnostic Management of Oncogenic HPV Cervical Infections: The Field Experience in Wuxi, China

Introduction

A liquid-based cytology test was introduced for cervical cancer screening in the 2000s worldwide. However, the concordance of diagnostic findings between the liquid-based cytology test and cervical biopsy has not been fully investigated, especially the overall failure rate on the diagnosis of cervical cancer and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) by cytology testing. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the concordance between ThinPrep cytology and histology test in the diagnosis of cervical cancer and HSIL in HPV-positive women.

Methods

ThinPrep cytology test was performed in 2,472 HPV-positive women. Out of 2,472 HPV-positive women, the cervical biopsy was concurrently performed in 1,533 women. Data on the HPV type and the diagnostic findings of the ThinPrep cytology test and cervical biopsy were collected from our hospital electronic database. The concordance of diagnostic findings between cytology and histology was compared.

Results

The rate of agreement in the diagnosis of the low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) or HSIL between cervical biopsy and ThinPrep cytology test was 58 or 49%. The overall false negative rate in the diagnosis of cervical cancer and HSIL by ThinPrep cytology test was 6%. However, when considering the total number of HPV-positive women diagnosed with cervical cancer (n = 36) and HSIL (n = 117) by cervical biopsy, we found that a significant number of HPV-positive women with cervical cancer (n = 12, 33%), or women with HSIL (n = 77, 66%) were failed to be diagnosed by the ThinPrep cytology test. These HPV-positive women were either diagnosed with cervical infection or ASCUS, or LSIL.

Discussion

Our data demonstrated that in order to ensure an accurate diagnosis, an immediate cervical biopsy in women with cervical infection or ASCUS or LSIL should be strongly recommended in clinical practice.

Genotypic distribution and prevalence of human papillomavirus infection in an apparently healthy female population in Bangladesh

Objective

Human papillomavirus (HPV) comprises around 120 genotypically related viruses, classified into low- and high-risk HPVs, which are capable of replicating inside the keratinocytes of skin or mucous membranes. Studies suggest that infections with HPV-16 or HPV-18 have a higher rate of developing cancer. The aim of our study was to detect HPV early, and to estimate the genotype-specific prevalence of HPV in apparently healthy and asymptomatic females in Bangladesh.

Method

After cervical swab specimen collection, a VIA test was performed to identify any type of abnormality in the cervix. A multiplex PCR amplification of HPV DNA, using L1 consensus primer systems, was performed with type-specific primers, followed by sequencing to detect HPV genotypes.

Result

Of the 417 females, 121 were found to be HPV positive. The most prevalent high-risk HPV genotypes were found to be HPV-16 and HPV-18. Different patient demographic parameters, such as age, socioeconomic status, education, and history of first intercourse, were also studied to establish correlations with HPV infection.

Conclusion

Our results might provide some insights into factors that influence the development of cervical cancer. They might also help in guiding better patient management, increased public health awareness, further testing, and the implementation of existing vaccines.

The reporting rates of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and their human papillomavirus testing and histologic follow-up results: A comparison between ThinPrep and SurePath preparations

BACKGROUND

Liquid-based cytology (LBC) tests SurePath (SP) and ThinPrep (TP) have largely replaced conventional Papanicolaou (Pap) tests for cervical cytology screening due to higher sensitivity. However, comparison between SP and TP test sensitivity and efficacy in detecting squamous abnormalities is lacking. Our study aims to compare high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) reporting rates, human papillomavirus (HPV) positivity rates, and histologic outcome between these two LBC methods.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective search of the period between January 2014 and June 2017, when both TP and SP were utilized at our institution, to identify HSIL cases and collect the HPV testing and histologic follow-up results for those cases.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty-five HSILs were identified from the 15 382 TP specimens (0.81%) and 93 HSILs were identified from the 25 105 SP specimens (0.37%), a statistically significant difference (P < .0001). The corresponding HPV positivity rates were 95.6% and 89.7% in TP-HSILs and SP-HSILs, respectively, a statistically non-significant difference. Histologic follow-up showed HSILs or carcinomas were identified in 78% (49/63) of TP-HSILs and 79% (45/57) of SP-HSILs, with no statistically significant difference.

CONCLUSION

TP demonstrated a higher HSIL detection rate than SP with no significant difference in follow-up HPV or histologic results.

Distinct profile of cell-free DNA in malignant pleural effusion of non-small cell lung cancer and its impact on clinical genetic testing

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in supernatant of pleural effusion from advanced NSCLC patients has been proved as surrogate sample detecting therapeutic targets as well as tumor mutation burden (TMB). As recently reported, cfDNA in pleural effusion supernatant is superior to plasma in TMB evaluation. It is reasonable to hypothesize that cfDNA profile in pleural effusion (PE) and plasma might be different. It remains to be elucidated why cfDNA in PE supernatant impacts on genetic analysis. Consequently, the approach dealing with cfDNA from PE supernatant might need to be different from that for plasma cfDNA in order to obtain accurate clinical genetic testing result. Methods: Pleural effusion samples from 32 patients with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma were collected. Supernatant and sediment were processed separately to extract Cell-free DNA as well as sediment DNA (PE-S). cfDNA from pleural effusion was analyzed by Agilent 2100 bioanalyzer. Libraries were prepared by 1) direct use of the total cfDNA without fragmentation step (PE-FL) or 2) use of full-length cfDNA fragmented to 150-250bp (PE-F), 3) use of cfDNA fragments enriched to ~167bp (PE-E167) as well as 4) use of cfDNA fragments larger than 500bp enriched (PE-E500). All samples were subjected to targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) with a panel of 448 cancer-related genes as well as a panel of 10 NSCLC driver genes. Results: cfDNA were successfully extracted from 30 MPE samples. cfDNA displayed distinct profile in supernatant of malignant pleural effusion from that of plasma cfDNA. No statistical difference in detection of hotspot variations between PE-E167 and PE-F by 448-gene or 10-gene panel. While TMB from PE-F samples was significantly higher than that from PE-E167 and PE-FL. Higher TMB from PE-F was resulted from cancer-unspecific variants with low allele frequency (0.1%-1%) which were mainly introduced by long-fragment cfDNA. Similar genetic profile was observed between paired cfDNA of PE-FL and cfDNA of PE-E167. Conclusion: Long-fragment cfDNA in the PE supernatant will introduce low abundant cancer unrelated variants which leads overestimation of TMB. Paired PE-FL and PE-E167 gave comparable outcomes. Direct use of the total cfDNA without fragmentation step (PE-FL) is recommended for library preparation of NGS testing in clinical practice to exclude interference from long fragments of the cfDNA.

Clinical performance of Onclarity HPV assay and Cobas HPV test in detection of cervical precancer and cancer in Chinese women

OBJECTIVE

The Roche Cobas (Cobas) and BD Onclarity (Onclarity) human papillomavirus (HPV) assays are convenient, PCR-based, HPV DNA tests; currently, data on performance of Onclarity in Chinese women is limited. We aimed to evaluate the clinical performance of Onclarity for detecting cervical lesions in Chinese women.

METHODS

In total, 1122 women were enrolled into this study. Exfoliated cervical cells were collected in PreservCyt medium and were tested using Cobas and Onclarity. Cytology and histology were interpreted by senior cytologists and a panel of pathologists, respectively, at Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

RESULTS

The assays showed excellent concordance for HPV16 (kappa = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.85-0.97) and for 12 other high-risk types (HPV31/33/35/39/45/51/52/56/58/59/66/68, kappa = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.78-0.90), and very good concordance for HPV18 (kappa = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.69-0.81). No difference for ≥CIN2 sensitivity was observed between Onclarity and Cobas (both 90.5%); and the <CIN2 specificity for detection was similar between Onclarity (84.2%, 95% CI: 81.6-86.4) and Cobas (80.4%, 95% CI: 77.6-82.8). When combined with cytology triage, the colposcopy referral rate point estimate was slightly lower for Onclarity (9.0%) than for Cobas (11.0%), with the same ≥CIN2 sensitivity of 75.0% (95% CI: 53.1-88.8) for Onclarity and Cobas.

CONCLUSIONS

Onclarity exhibited comparable screening performance and triage efficiency compared to Cobas in detection of cervical lesions in Chinese women.

The reporting rates of atypical glandular cells and their HPV testing and histologic follow-up results: a comparison between ThinPrep and SurePath preparations from a single academic institution

INTRODUCTION

The interpretation of atypical glandular cells (AGCs) remains a major challenge in gynecologic cytopathology using liquid-based cytology (LBC) (ThinPrep and SurePath). The comparison of performance of detecting glandular abnormalities using these 2 methods is lacking. We investigated the reporting rates of AGCs, human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, and histologic follow-up results in ThinPrep (TP) and SurePath (SP) samples.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In our institution, both TP and SP were utilized during the period between January 2014 and June 2017. A retrospective search was conducted to identify patients with AGCs from 58,591 LBCs (27,041 TP and 31,550 SP). Roche (Pleasanton, CA) cobas HPV testing and histologic follow-up results were collected.

RESULTS

The reporting rates of AGCs for TP (0.7%) or SP (0.2%) were within the College of American Pathologists benchmark ranges, but the reporting for TP was significantly greater than that for SP (P < 0.0001). The HPV-positive rates were 26.0% and 19.4% in TP-AGCs and SP-AGCs, respectively, with no statistical significance. A total of 137 (74.9%) TP-AGCs and 54 (74%) SP-AGCs had histologic follow-up. High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL)/squamous cell carcinoma were identified in 8.8% (12 of 137) of TP-AGCs and 13% (7 of 54) of SP-AGCs. Adenocarcinomas including endocervical and endometrial adenocarcinomas were identified in 9.5% (13 of 137) of TP-AGCs and 13% (7 of 54) of SP-AGCs. Together, 18.2% (25 of 137) of TP-AGCs and 25.9% (14 of 54) of SP-AGCs showed either HSIL or carcinoma in histologic follow-up, but with no statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

TP preparation detected considerably more AGCs than SP preparation. There was no statistical significant difference in HPV-positive rates or histologic follow-up outcomes between TP-detected AGCs and SP-detected AGCs.

Diagnostic benefits of the combined use of liquid-based cytology, cell block, and carcinoembryonic antigen immunocytochemistry in malignant pleural effusion

Background

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a common complication of cancer cell metastasis to the pleura. Discrimination between MPE and benign pleural effusion is necessary to design treatment strategies. Cytology is important for the diagnosis of MPE. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is an epithelial biomarker with a strong staining pattern in adenocarcinomas. Here, the diagnostic performances of liquid-based cytology (LBC), cell block (CB) preparation, and CEA immunostaining for the detection of malignancy in effusion cytology were compared in a large case series.

Methods

In a single institution, 1,014 cytology samples from 862 patients were retrospectively collected and reviewed between January 2013 and November 2015. Ethanol-fixed, paraffin embedded CB of pleural effusions was analyzed by CEA immunostaining. Diagnostic values were compared among LBC, CB, CEA immunostaining, and the combination of two methods.

Results

The sensitivity and specificity of the CB preparation were 94.3% and 98.7%, respectively, compared with 81.3% and 99.4% for LBC preparations, respectively. Combination of LBC and CB increased sensitivity by 98.3%. Although the accuracy of CEA staining itself was moderate (sensitivity, 89.8%), the combined use of CB and CEA tumor marker increased the detection rate of malignancy (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 100%), compared with that of cytology (LBC or CB) alone.

Conclusions

The sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of MPE could be improved by integrating the CB and CEA staining into LBC in routine clinical practice to improve diagnostic accuracy.

[Application of immunocytochemistry as a diagnostic aid: Experience in a tertiary university hospital in Cali, Colombia]

INTRODUCTION

Immunocytochemistry is very useful in the differentiation of benign and malignant lesions, through the use of specific antibodies that differentiate the cells according to their origin. This study aims to describe the application of immunohistochemistry to the cytological study of different sample types at the Valle del Lili Foundation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A descriptive, retrospective, observational study was carried out with cytologies registered in the database of the pathology department of the Fundación Valle del Lili, between December 2015 and October 2017.

RESULTS

Fifty-four cytological samples with immunocytochemistry were included. It was possible to perform both the cell block and the liquid-based cytology button to 38.88% (n=21) of the total samples, finding from the results of both types of cytology, a Cohen's Kappa coefficient of 0.80 (95%CI: (0.4-1.0), P<.001. The most commonly used markers were: Calretinin, MOC-31, EMA, TTF1, PAX8, and Calcitonin. Out of the cytological studies positive for malignancy, a definitive diagnosis was made with a biopsy in 58.1% (n=25), with a Cohen's Kappa coefficient of 1.0 (95%CI: 1.0-1.0), P<.001.

DISCUSSION

This study provided data that permits the implementation of liquid-based cytology button for immunocytochemical studies, using assessable markers with agreement with cell-block cytology. Furthermore, it provides data useful for future research in this field.

Performance of Roche cobas high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) testing in the two most common liquid-based Papanicolaou test platforms

INTRODUCTION

High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) testing is important in cervical cancer screening and management algorithms. Roche (Pleasanton, Calif.) cobas hrHPV testing is commonly performed on both ThinPrep (TP) and SurePath (SP) samples, but performance of these platforms has not been fully investigated in the literature.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Roche hrHPV testing was performed on 47,885 (TP = 18,295; SP = 29,590) out of 130,648 consecutive Papanicolaou tests, over 16 months; 1895 of those had interpretable biopsies.

RESULTS

The overall hrHPV detection rates were similar in TP (13.5%) and SP (13.1%). The hrHPV positive rate was higher in SP (8.5%) than TP (7.3%, P < 0.0001) in women with negative cytology; the difference in other cytologic diagnosis categories was insignificant. TP samples had significantly fewer negative cytology diagnoses (7.3% versus 8.5%, P < 0.0001), more low-grade abnormalities in cytology and biopsies, and higher colposcopy referral rate (4.8% versus 2.7%, P < 0.0001) than SP. There were no differences between TP and SP in detecting ≥HSIL by hrHPV testing, cytology or biopsy. SP samples had a significantly higher rate of HPV 16/18 but a lower rate of non-16/18 hrHPV genotypes than TP.

CONCLUSIONS

Roche cobas hrHPV testing was similar in both TP and SP platforms. The significantly lower hrHPV detection rate in cytological negative TP samples is likely related to higher cytology reporting rates for indeterminate and low-grade diagnoses in TP than SP samples. Significant differences were also observed in hrHPV genotyping results between TP and SP. Clinical risk stratification based on hrHPV testing may need to take testing platforms into consideration.

SurePath Specimens Versus ThinPrep Specimen Types on the COBAS 4800 Platform: High-Risk HPV Status and Cytology Correlation in an Ethnically Diverse Bronx Population

Objective

To compare the cytologic preparations of 130 cervical specimens (from women of various ethnicities at high risk for human papillomavirus [HPV] infection) using the SurePath (SP) collection system with specimens gathered using the ThinPrep (TP) system, as processed on the Cobas 4800 analyzer, to determine which collection method more accurately identifies HPV infection.

Methods

In our prospective study, specimens were collected from 130 women of various ethnicities residing in or near Bronx County, NY. The SP-collected specimen was first processed for cytologic findings; if clinical HPV testing was requested on that specimen, it was tested using Hybrid Capture II (HC2) methodology. We tested the remnant SP-collected cell concentrate using the Cobas analyzer. Then, the TP-collected and SP-collected specimens were tested in the same run on that analyzer, and the results were compared. We also compared the results with the concurrent cytologic findings.

Results

The results were concordant for overall HR-HPV status in 93.8% of cases. Also, a statistically significant lower cycle threshold value was observed with Cobas testing of specimen concentrates tested via the BD SurePath Pap Test (P = .001), suggesting higher sensitivity compared with specimens tested via the ThinPrep Pap Test.

Conclusion

Cobas 4800 HPV testing of SP-collected specimen concentrates yields comparable results to TP-collected specimen concentrates. Based on the limited data that we derived, SP collection may be a more favorable methodology than TP collection for HPV testing of individuals at high risk in our ethnically diverse, urban patient population.

Cervical cancer incidence after normal cytological sample in routine screening using SurePath, ThinPrep, and conventional cytology: population based study

Objective To compare the cumulative incidence of cervical cancer diagnosed within 72 months after a normal screening sample between conventional cytology and liquid based cytology tests SurePath and ThinPrep.Design Retrospective population based cohort study.Setting Nationwide network and registry of histo- and cytopathology in the Netherlands (PALGA), January 2000 to March 2013.Population Women with 5 924 474 normal screening samples (23 833 123 person years).Exposure Use of SurePath or ThinPrep versus conventional cytology as screening test.Main outcome measure 72 month cumulative incidence of invasive cervical cancer after a normal screening sample for each screening test. Cox regression analyses assessed the hazard ratios, adjusted for calendar time, age, screening history, and socioeconomic status and including laboratories as random effects.Results The 72 month cumulative cancer incidence was 58.5 (95% confidence interval 54.6 to 62.7) per 100 000 normal conventional cytology samples, compared with 66.8 (56.7 to 78.7) for ThinPrep and 44.6 (37.8 to 52.6) for SurePath. Compared with conventional cytology, the hazard of invasive cancer was 19% lower (hazard ratio 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.66 to 0.99) for SurePath, mainly caused by a 27% lower hazard (0.73, 0.57 to 0.93) of a clinically detected cancer. For ThinPrep, the hazard was on average 15% higher (hazard ratio 1.15, 0.95 to 1.38), mainly caused by a 56% higher hazard of a screen detected cancer (1.56, 1.17 to 2.08).Conclusions These findings should provoke reconsideration of the assumed similarity in sensitivity to detect progressive cervical intraepithelial neoplasia between different types of liquid based cytology and conventional cytology.

Development and Validation of a Preanalytic Procedure for Performing the cobas HPV Test in SurePath Preservative Fluid

The formation of chemical cross-links between nucleic acids and proteins in formalin-containing media presents challenges for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing of cervical samples collected in SurePath Preservative Fluid. A preanalytic process involving addition of a nucleophilic buffer and heating the sample to 120°C was developed to reverse the effects of cross-linking and improve nucleic acid accessibility for the cobas HPV Test in SurePath. Cycle threshold (C_T) values for cobas HPV detection were evaluated over time and various temperatures, and mean C_T differences between pretreated and both untreated SurePath samples and those collected in PreservCyt were assessed. Without pretreatment, low viral levels (1 × limit of detection) of HPV were no longer detectable by 7 days. For prospectively collected specimens, mean (95% CI) C_T differences between pretreated and untreated samples indicated enhanced HPV DNA recovery in all categories of treated samples: -2.58 (-3.16 to -2.01), -2.63 (-3.62 to -1.64), and -3.39 (-4.95 to -1.82), respectively, for other 12 high-risk HPV types, HPV16, and HPV18. Furthermore, mean (95% CI) C_T differences of pretreated SurePath samples were comparable to simultaneously collected PreservCyt samples: -0.48 (-0.98 to 0.02) and -0.23 (-0.93 to 0.46), respectively, for HPV16 and HPV18; a borderline significant difference [-0.35 (-0.57 to -0.13)] was observed for other 12 high-risk HPV types. This preanalytic procedure therefore ensures a validated, safe, and accurate method for cobas HPV testing in SurePath.

Effect of human papillomavirus vaccination on cervical cancer screening in Alberta

BACKGROUND

A school-based program with quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination was implemented in Alberta in 2008. We assessed the impact of this program on Pap test cytology results using databases of province-wide vaccination and cervical cancer screening.

METHODS

We conducted a nested case-control study involving a cohort of women in Alberta born between 1994 and 1997 who had at least 1 Pap test between 2012 and 2015. Women with negative cytology results were controls. Women with low-grade (atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion) and high-grade (atypical squamous cells, cannot rule out a high-grade lesion; or high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion) cervical abnormalities were cases. Exposure status was assigned according to records of HPV vaccination. Odds ratios (ORs) for abnormal cytology results by vaccination status were adjusted for neighbourhood income, laboratory service, rural versus urban residency, and age.

RESULTS

The total study population was 10 204. Adjusting for age, vaccinated women had a higher screening rate than unvaccinated women (13.0% v. 11.4%, p < 0.001). Among women who received full vaccination (≥ 3 doses), the adjusted OR for cervical abnormalities was 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63-0.82). For high-grade lesions, the adjusted OR was 0.50 (95% CI 0.30-0.85). With 2-dose HPV vaccination, the adjusted OR for cervical abnormalities was 1.08 (95% CI 0.84-1.38).

INTERPRETATION

Quadrivalent HPV vaccination significantly reduced high-grade cervical abnormalities but required 3 doses. Vaccination against HPV was associated with screening uptake. Population-based vaccination and screening programs should work together to optimize cervical cancer prevention.

A comparison of different human papillomavirus tests in PreservCyt versus SurePath in a referral population-PREDICTORS 4

BACKGROUND

Two transport media, PreservCyt and SurePath, are widely used for cervical cytology screening. There are concerns that they may perform differently for HPV testing.

OBJECTIVES

A comparison of the performance of six different HPV tests in SurePath and PreservCyt in a referral population using two samples from each woman. The primary goal was to compare the performance of each test in the two media. Comparisons between assays and viral load comparisons between media were secondary aims.

STUDY DESIGN

Two cervical samples were collected in random order at the same visit in women with abnormal cytology. One sample was placed in 20ml of PreservCyt and the other in 10ml of SurePath. Aliquots were taken for 4 DNA based tests: digene HC2 High-Risk HPV DNA Test, Abbott Realtime, BD Onclarity and Genera PapType, an RNA based test-: Hologic Aptima and a protein test: OncoHealth.

RESULTS

630 sample pairs were included in the analyses. For all tests except the protein test sensitivities were in excess of 90% for CIN2+ and 95% for CIN3+ for both media and with no significant differences except for a lower sensitivity for CIN2+ of Aptima in SurePath (93% vs 98%, P=0.005). Specificity for

CONCLUSIONS

We found similar sensitivity for CIN3+ in PreservCyt and SurePath for 5 nucleic acid tests in the two media in a referral population, but signal strength and positivity rates were lower in SurePath except for the Onclarity test. These results need to be replicated in a screening population.

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Key Words

• Cervical screening
• Human papillomavirus testing
• PreservCyt
• SurePath
• ThinPrep

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MESH Headings

• Adult
• Diagnostic Tests, Routine/methods
• Early Detection of Cancer/methods
• Female
• Humans
• Papillomaviridae/classification
• Papillomaviridae/genetics
• Papillomaviridae/isolation & purification
• Papillomavirus Infections/diagnosis
• Prospective Studies
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Specimen Handling/methods
• Viral Load/methods

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Grants

• 16891 Cancer Research UK
• C569/A16891 Cancer Research UK

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Affiliation(s)

Jack Cuzick Centre for Cancer Prevention, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK.
Amar S Ahmad Centre for Cancer Prevention, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
Janet Austin Centre for Cancer Prevention, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
Louise Cadman Centre for Cancer Prevention, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
Linda Ho Centre for Cancer Prevention, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
George Terry Centre for Cancer Prevention, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
Michelle Kleeman Centre for Cancer Prevention, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
Lesley Ashdown-Barr Centre for Cancer Prevention, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
Deirdre Lyons Department of Colposcopy, St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London W2 1NY, UK
Mark Stoler Department of Pathology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
Anne Szarewski Centre for Cancer Prevention, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK

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Comparing SurePath, ThinPrep, and conventional cytology as primary test method: SurePath is associated with increased CIN II+ detection rates

Purpose

Within the last decade, SurePath and ThinPrep [both liquid-based cytology (LBC) tests] have replaced conventional cytology (CC) as primary test method in cervical cancer screening programs of multiple countries. The aim of our study was to examine the effect in the Dutch screening program.

Methods

All primary smears taken within this program from 2000 to 2011 were analyzed using the nationwide registry of histo- and cytopathology (PALGA) with a follow-up until March 2013. The percentage of smears classified as borderline/mildly dyskaryotic (BMD) and >BMD as well as CIN and cervical cancer detection rates were compared between SurePath and ThinPrep versus CC by logistic regression analyses (adjusted for age, screen region, socioeconomic status, and calendar time).

Results

We included 3,118,685 CC, 1,313,731 SurePath, and 1,584,587 ThinPrep smears. Using SurePath resulted in an increased rate of primary smears classified as >BMD [odds ratio (OR) = 1.12 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09–1.16)]. CIN I and II⁺ detection rates increased by 14 % [OR = 1.14 (95% CI 1.08–1.20)] and 8 % [OR = 1.08 (95% CI 1.05–1.12)]. Cervical cancer detection rates were unaffected. Implementing ThinPrep did not result in major alterations of the cytological classification of smears, and it did not affect CIN detection rates. While not significant, cervical cancer detection rates were lower [OR = 0.87 (95% CI 0.75–1.01)].

Conclusions

The impact of replacing CC by LBC as primary test method depends on the type of LBC test used. Only the use of SurePath was associated with increased CIN II⁺ detection, although it simultaneously increased the detection of CIN I.

Clinical Performance of Hybrid Capture 2 Human Papillomavirus Testing for Recurrent High-Grade Cervical/Vaginal Intraepithelial Neoplasm in Patients With an ASC-US Papanicolaou Test Result During Long-Term Posttherapy Follow-up Monitoring

Context

Women who have been treated for high-grade cervical or vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN or VAIN) or invasive carcinoma are at risk for recurrent/persistent disease and require long-term monitoring. The role of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing in this setting is unclear.

Objective

To evaluate the clinical performance of the Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) HPV test for recurrent/residual high-grade CIN or VAIN in patients with a posttherapy abnormal squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) Papanicolaou test result.

Design

We reviewed the follow-up data on 100 patients who had an ASC-US Papanicolaou test and HC2 HPV results after treatment for high-grade CIN/VAIN or carcinoma. Human papillomavirus genotyping was performed for women with a negative HC2 result whose follow-up biopsy revealed CIN/VAIN 2+.

Results

The patients' mean age was 47 years. The HC2 test result was positive in 33% of the patients. Follow-up biopsy was available for 17 of these patients (52%) and for 25 of the 67 patients (37%) with a negative HC2 result. A total of 5 of the patients (29%) with a positive HC2 result and 2 of the patients (8%) with a negative HC2 result had CIN/VAIN 3 on follow-up biopsy, a statistically insignificant difference (P = .10). Human papillomavirus 16/18 genotypes were detected in the CIN/VAIN 2+ lesions of 5 patients with a negative HC2 result.

Conclusion

HC2 yielded a false-negative rate of 8% for CIN 3. HC2 testing therefore may not be sufficient for triage of patients with an ASC-US Papanicolaou test result. Patients with ASC-US during long-term posttherapy follow-up need close monitoring, with colposcopic evaluation if clinically indicated.

Liquid-based cytology and human papillomavirus testing: a pooled analysis using the data from 13 population-based cervical cancer screening studies from China

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of introducing HR-HPV testing in cytology regarding cervical cancer screening practice.

METHODS

A pooled analysis of liquid-based cytology (LBC) and HR-HPV testing using data from 13 population-based cervical cancer screening studies conducted in China was performed. Participants (n=25,404) received LBC and HR-HPV testing. Women found to be positive on screening were referred for colposcopy and biopsy. The effectiveness of screening strategies that use: LBC with HR-HPV triage for atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US), HR-HPV testing with cytology triage for HPV positive tests, or LBC and HPV cotesting was compared with that of LBC screening alone.

RESULTS

LBC with HR-HPV triage for ASC-US had similar sensitivity compared with LBC alone, but significantly increased specificity for both cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+) and CIN3 or worse (CIN3+) endpoints, and had the best balance between sensitivity and specificity among the strategies. LBC and HR-HPV cotesting had the highest sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) and could permit a safe extension of screening intervals. Through the use of an immediate colposcopy threshold of ASC-US or worse for HR-HPV positive women and the use of a raised threshold of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) or worse for HR-HPV negative women, LBC and HR-HPV cotesting could provide the same effectiveness as LBC testing with HR-HPV triage for ASC-US at baseline tests.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the current study support the use of the cervical cancer screening guidelines in China.

Fixation effect of SurePath preservative fluids using epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-specific antibodies for immunocytochemistry

BACKGROUND

Cytological diagnosis of respiratory disease has become important, not only for histological typing using immunocytochemistry (ICC) but also for molecular DNA analysis of cytological material. The aim of this study was to investigate the fixation effect of SurePath preservative fluids.

METHODS

Human lung cancer PC9 and 11-18 cell lines, and lung adenocarcinoma cells in pleural effusion, were fixed in CytoRich Blue, CytoRich Red, 15% neutral-buffered formalin, and 95% ethanol, respectively. PC9 and 11-18 cell lines were examined by ICC with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-specific antibodies, the EGFR mutation DNA assay, and fluorescence in situ hybridization. The effect of antigenic storage time was investigated in lung adenocarcinoma cells in pleural effusion by ICC using the lung cancer detection markers.

RESULTS

PC9 and 11-18 cell lines in formalin-based fixatives showed strong staining of EGFR mutation-specific antibodies and lung cancer detection markers by ICC as compared with ethanol-based fixatives. DNA preservation with CytoRich Blue and CytoRich Red was superior to that achieved with 95% ethanol and 15% neutral-buffered formalin fixatives, whereas EGFR mutations by DNA assay and EGFR gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization were successfully identified in all fixative samples. Although cytoplasmic antigens maintained high expression levels, expression levels in nuclear antigens fell as storage time increased.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that CytoRich Red is not only suitable for ICC with EGFR mutation-specific antibodies, but also for DNA analysis of cytological material, and is useful in molecular testing of lung cancer, for which various types of analyses will be needed in future.

Comparison of diagnostic accuracy between CellprepPlus® and ThinPrep® liquid-based preparations in effusion cytology

Liquid-based cytology (LBC) is being increasingly used for body fluid specimens and has improved diagnostic accuracy when compared to conventional smears. We compared the diagnostic accuracy and cellular morphologic features between CellprepPlus® LBC and ThinPrep® LBC in effusion cytology. One hundred and eighty body fluid specimens, consisting of 119 pleural fluid specimens, 59 peritoneal fluid specimens, and 2 pericardial fluid specimens, were obtained from 166 patients. Equal volumes of body fluid from each specimen were used in the CellprepPlus® and ThinPrep® preparations. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were evaluated. In addition, we selected 16 specimens from patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma, confirmed them by both LBC preparations, and measured the size of the nucleus in the tumor cells in these specimens. The sensitivity of the CellprepPlus® and ThinPrep® methods was 73.1% and 50.0%, respectively. The specificity and positive predictive values were 100% for both LBC methods, and the negative predictive values of the CellprepPlus® and ThinPrep® methods were 90.9% and 83.3%, respectively. The average nuclear size of the tumor cells was calculated as 20.87 μm using the CellprepPlus® method and 15.08 μm using the ThinPrep® method (P < 0.05). The CellprepPlus® method provided better diagnostic accuracy of effusion cytology compared to the ThinPrep® method and revealed the characteristic morphological features of tumor cells, including large and hypochromatic nuclei, prominent nucleoli, distinct nuclear membranes, and high cellularity.

Pooled analysis of the performance of liquid-based cytology in population-based cervical cancer screening studies in China

BACKGROUND

Liquid-based cytology (LBC) has been widely used for cervical cancer screening. Despite numerous studies and systematic reviews, to the authors' knowledge few large studies to date have focused on biopsy-confirmed cervical lesions and controversy remains concerning its diagnostic accuracy. The objective of the current study was to assess LBC for detecting biopsy-confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cancer.

METHODS

A pooled analysis of LBC using data from 13 population-based, cross-sectional, cervical cancer screening studies performed in China from 1999 to 2008 was performed. Participants (n = 26,782) received LBC and human papillomavirus testing. Women found to be positive on screening were referred for colposcopy and biopsy. The accuracy of LBC for detecting biopsy-confirmed CIN of type 2 or worse (CIN2+) as well as CIN type 3 or worse (CIN3+) lesions was analyzed.

RESULTS

Of 25,830 women included in the analysis, CIN2+ was found in 107 of 2612 with atypical squamous cells (4.1%), 142 of 923 with low-grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia (15.4%), 512 of 784 with high-grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia (65.3%), 29 of 30 with squamous cell carcinoma (96.7%), 4 of 27 with atypical glandular cells (14.8%), and 85 of 21,454 with normal cytology results (0.4%). No invasive cancers were found to have atypical squamous cells, atypical glandular cells, or cytologically normal slides. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of LBC for detecting CIN2+ were 81.0%, 95.4%, 38.3%, 99.3 %, and 94.9%, respectively. Although Hybrid Capture 2 was more sensitive than LBC, the specificity, positive predictive value, and overall accuracy of LBC were higher than those of Hybrid Capture2 at 85.2%, 18.6%, and 85.5%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the current study indicate that the performance of LBC can effectively predict the risk of existing CIN2+ and may be a good screening tool for cervical cancer prevention in a developing country.

Limitations of widely used high-risk human papillomavirus laboratory-developed testing in cervical cancer screening

OBJECTIVE

To increase awareness of the limitations of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) laboratory-developed testing (LDT) widely used in US cervical cancer screening.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A young woman in her 30s was diagnosed and treated for stage 1B1 cervical squamous cell carcinoma in which HPV 16 DNA was detected using polymerase chain reaction testing. Both 1 month before and 42 months before cervical cancer diagnosis, the patient had highly abnormal cytology findings; however, residual SurePath™ (Becton, Dickson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ) vial fluid yielded negative Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2; Qiagen NV, Hilden, Germany) hrHPV LDT results from each of the two specimens. This prompted questions to be asked concerning the performance characteristics of hrHPV LDT. A review of the available data indicates that (1) purification of DNA from SurePath specimens requires complex sample preparation due to formaldehyde crosslinking of proteins and nucleic acids, (2) HC2-SurePath hrHPV testing had not been Food and Drug Administration-approved after multiple premarket approval submissions, (3) detectible hrHPV DNA in the SurePath vial decreases over time, and (4) US laboratories performing HC2-SurePath hrHPV LDT testing are not using a standardized manufacturer-endorsed procedure.

CONCLUSION

Recently updated cervical screening guidelines in the US recommend against the use of hrHPV LDT in cervical screening, including widely used HC2 testing from the SurePath vial. The manufacturer recently issued a technical bulletin specifically warning that use of SurePath samples with the HC2 hrHPV test may provide false negative results and potentially compromise patient safety. Co-collection using a Food and Drug Administration-approved hrHPV test medium is recommended for HPV testing of patients undergoing cervical screening using SurePath samples.

Unsatisfactory rates vary between cervical cytology samples prepared using ThinPrep and SurePath platforms: a review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To compare unsatisfactory rates between the two major liquid-based cytology (LBC) platforms, namely ThinPrep (Hologic) and SurePath (Becton Dickinson).

DESIGN

The authors performed both a systematic review and a meta-analysis. Inclusion criteria were English language, data presented on unsatisfactory rates for either ThinPrep or SurePath, utilising actual patient samples (ie, not laboratory manipulated samples) and no manipulation using acetic acid to increase the satisfactory rate. The authors searched PubMed for articles using the keywords 'SurePath' or 'ThinPrep' and 'unsatisfactory'. References of retrieved studies were searched for additional articles. Key researchers in the field were also contacted.

PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS

Eligible studies were reviewed for rates of unsatisfactory cervical cytology smears processed on either the ThinPrep or SurePath platforms (compared with a general linear model) or data on unsatisfactory rates for both platforms for the same laboratory and the same patient population (compared with a meta-analysis using a random effects model and pooled RR).

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE

Unsatisfactory rate of cervical cytology smears.

RESULTS

A total of 1 120 418 cervical cytology smears were reported in 14 different studies using the SurePath platform for an overall unsatisfactory rate (weighted average) of 0.3%. 28 studies reported on 1 148 755 smears prepared using the ThinPrep platform for an overall unsatisfactory rate (weighted average) of 1.3%. The general linear model did not show a difference between LBC platforms when other variables were controlled for; however, the power to detect a difference (0.087) was very low. The meta-analysis performed on four studies where both ThinPrep and SurePath results were reported from the same laboratory showed fewer unsatisfactory tests from the SurePath platform (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.77, p=0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple factors affect LBC unsatisfactory rates. In a meta-analysis, cervical cytology samples prepared on the SurePath platform show significantly fewer unsatisfactory smears than those prepared on the ThinPrep platform.