The Accuracy of p16/Ki-67 and HPV Test in the Detection of CIN2/3 in Women Diagnosed with ASC-US or LSIL

Comparison of Visual Inspection Methods with Pap Smear as Screening Test for Premalignant Lesions of the Cervix

Aim and Objectives

The present study was done to compare the visual inspection methods with Pap smear as a screening test for premalignant lesions of the cervix.

Materials and Methods

The present observational prospective study was done at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Teerthanker Mahaveer Medical College and Research Center for 18 months. All study subjects were subjected to Papanicolaou smear, VIA, and VILI examination. If any of these tests were found positive, then a colposcopy and cervical biopsy were done.

Results

The sensitivity of Pap, VIA, VILI, and colposcopy was 52.63%, 84.21%, 73.68%, and 84.21%, respectively. The specificity of Pap, VIA, VILI, and colposcopy was 60.0%, 80.0%, 60.0%, and 80.0%, respectively. The accuracy of Pap, VIA, VILI, and colposcopy was 54.17%, 83.33%, 70.83%, and 83.33%, respectively.

Conclusion

It is well known that VIA and VILI are very easy to carry out and apply. Even technically they do not cost much, consume less tax and can be applied to all the patients. Even the results are calculated in a faster manner which helps in chalking out the plan in an easy way.

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

RESULTS

This study identified a gene expression profile that significantly differentiates CIN2+ cases from

CONCLUSION

A gene expression profile that may be helpful in the identification of patients with CIN2+ was identified. This approach could be used together with currently used LBC in a clinical setting, allowing the identification of patients with high risk of CIN2+.

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Key Words

• biomarkers
• cervical cancer
• cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
• gene expression
• liquid-based cytology

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MESH Headings

• Pregnancy
• Humans
• Female
• Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/diagnosis
• Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/genetics
• Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/metabolism
• Cervix Uteri/pathology
• Uterine Cervical Dysplasia/diagnosis
• Cytodiagnosis
• Colposcopy
• Papillomavirus Infections/diagnosis
• Papillomaviridae/genetics
• Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7
• Membrane Proteins
• Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases

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Grants

• PRONON "Identificação de biomarcadores para screening e detecção precoce de tumores no contexto do Sistema Único de Saúde"

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Affiliation(s)

Rhafaela Lima Causin Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil
Luciane Sussuchi da Silva Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil
Leticia Ferro Leal Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil Barretos School of Health Sciences, Dr. Paulo Prata-FACISB, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil
Júlio César Possati-Resende Department of Prevention, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil
Adriane Feijó Evangelista Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil Sergio Arouca National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Graziela Macedo Matsushita Department of Pathology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil
Cristovam Scapulatempo-Neto Department of Pathology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil
José Humberto Tavares Guerreiro Fregnani Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil ACCamargo Cancer Center, Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Marco Antônio de Oliveira Center of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil
Laura W Musselwhite Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Márcia Maria Chiquitelli Marques Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil
Rui Manuel Reis Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Brazil Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Medical School, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal

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Utility of p16/Ki67 double immunocytochemistry for detection of cervical adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Although the incidence of cervical adenocarcinoma has consistently increased, especially among young women, there is no established best means for screening. This study evaluated the screening efficacy of CINtec PLUS (CINtec; p16/Ki67 double immunocytochemistry) expression in cervical glandular cells.

METHODS

Cervical cytology was examined using abnormal glandular cells. The CINtec status of 100 samples with corresponding surgically resected specimens and 11 samples that exhibited negative results for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy at follow-up was analyzed. Additionally, 31 negative samples containing benign glandular cells were included.

RESULTS

Of the 142 samples, CINtec status was diffusely positive in 74, focally positive in 24, and negative in 44. The 74 diffusely positive samples included 70 adenocarcinomas (62 cervical, seven uterine, and one ovarian) and four cases of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. The 24 focally positive samples included 15 adenocarcinomas (seven cervical, seven uterine, and one fallopian tube) and nine without malignancy. The 44 negative samples included nine adenocarcinomas (five uterine and four cervical) and 35 without malignancy. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the CINtec diffusely or focally positive cases for cervical adenocarcinomas were 94.5%, 58.0%, 70.4%, and 90.9%, respectively. In CINtec diffusely positive cases, the respective values were 84.9%, 82.6%, 83.8%, and 83.8%, and in women aged ≤39 years the values were 90.6%, 89.5%, 93.5%, and 85.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

CINtec may support efficient detection of cervical adenocarcinomas.

Association between Cervical Microbiota and HPV: Could This Be the Key to Complete Cervical Cancer Eradication?

The heterogeneity of the cervico-vaginal microbiota can be appreciated in various conditions, both pathological and non-pathological, and can vary according to biological and environmental factors. Attempts are still in course to define the interaction and role of the various factors that constitute this community of commensals in immune protection, inflammatory processes, and the onset of precancerous lesions of the cervical epithelium. Despite the many studies on the relationship between microbiota, immunity, and HPV-related cervical tumors, further aspects still need to be probed. In this review article, we will examine the principal characteristics of microorganisms commonly found in cervico-vaginal specimens (i) the factors that notoriously condition the diversity and composition of microbiota, (ii) the role that some families of organisms may play in the onset of HPV-dysplastic lesions and in neoplastic progression, and (iii) possible diagnostic-therapeutic approaches.

Role of Dual-Staining p16/Ki-67 in the Management of Patients under 30 Years with ASC-US/L-SIL

Patients diagnosed with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion ((L-SIL) or atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) are subjected to additional investigations, such as colposcopy and biopsy, to rule out cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ (CIN 2+). Especially in young patients, lesions tend to regress spontaneously, and many human papilloma virus (HPV) infections are transient. Dual-staining p16/Ki-67 has been proposed for the triage of patients with ASC-US or L-SIL, but no prospective study addressing only this subgroup of patients has been conducted so far. We performed a prospective study including all eligible patients referred for a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Timișoara University City Hospital. HPV genotyping and dual-staining for p16/Ki-67 were performed prior to LEEP, at 6 and 12 months after LEEP. A total of 60 patients were included in the study and completed the follow-up evaluation. We analyzed the sensitivity and specificity for biopsy-confirmed CIN2+ using the 95% confidence interval (CI) of high-risk human papilloma virus (HR-HPV), dual-staining p16/Ki-67, colposcopy, and combinations of the tests on all patients and separately for the ASC-US and L-SIL groups. Dual-staining p16/Ki-67 alone or in combination with HR-HPV and/or colposcopy showed a higher specificity that HR-HPV and/or colposcopy for the diagnosis of biopsy confirmed CIN2+ in patients under 30 years. Colposcopy + p16/Ki-67 and HR-HPV + colposcopy + p16/Ki-67 showed the highest specificity in our study.

Comparison of CINtec PLUS cytology and cobas HPV test for triaging Canadian patients with LSIL cytology referred to colposcopy: A two-year prospective study

OBJECTIVES & METHODS:

CINtec PLUS and cobas HPV tests were compared for triaging patients referred to colposcopy with a history of LSIL cytology in a 2-year prospective study. Cervical specimens were tested once at enrollment, and test positivity rates determined. Test performance was ascertained with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+) and CIN3 or worse (CIN3+) serving as clinical endpoints.

RESULTS:

In all ages, (19–76 years, n= 598), 44.3% tested CINtec PLUS positive vs. 55.4% HPV positive (p< 0.001). To detect CIN2+ (n= 99), CINtec PLUS was 81.8% sensitive vs. 93.9% for HPV testing (p= 0.009); genotype 16/18-specific sensitivity was 46.5%. Specificity was 52.9% vs. 36.6%, respectively (p< 0.001). In all ages, to detect CIN3+ (n= 44), sensitivity was 93.2% for both tests; genotype 16/18-specific sensitivity was 52.3%. Specificity was 48.4% for CINtec PLUS vs. 31.1% for HPV testing (p< 0.001). In patients < 30 years, CINtec was 91.7% sensitive vs 95.8% for HPV testing (p= 0.549).

CONCLUSIONS:

CINtec PLUS or cobas HPV test could serve as a predictor of CIN3+ with high sensitivity in patients referred to colposcopy with a history of LSIL regardless of age while significantly reducing the number of LSIL referral patients requiring further investigations and follow-up in colposcopy clinics.

Diagnostic techniques in HPV infections and the need to implement them in plantar lesions: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Human papillomavirus has been reported as the etiological cause of most cervical cancers and other potentially malignant lesions. It also affects other areas, producing benign tumors on the skin. Plantar warts are a common problem found in clinical practice and share signs and symptoms with other dermatological conditions. Diagnosis of HPV infection remains a hot topic in research.

METHOD

The present work systematically reviews the literature on the diagnostic techniques available in the clinical setting for any type of lesion produced by the virus and compares the techniques identified to those found in use for foot lesions.

RESULTS

Results showed a variety of diagnostic methods, including molecular techniques, which exhibit more sensitivity than other methods but are less frequently applied to plantar lesions, where visual inspection is the most frequent method but can lead to errors.

CONCLUSION

The techniques identified need to be applied to plantar lesions to improve differential diagnosis in clinical practice.

EXPERT OPINION

Research will continue to grow and a proper diagnostic technique for plantar lesions will be available in the near future.

Correlation of p16 immunohistochemistry with clinical and epidemiological features in oropharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Oropharyngeal cancer is an important public health problem. The aim of our study was to correlatep16 immunohistochemistry in oropharynx squamous cell carcinomas(OPSCC) with clinical and epidemiological features.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We conducted across-sectional study on patients with OPSCC treated at a single institution from 2014 to 2019. Epidemiological and clinical-pathological data were collected from medical records and a questionnaire was applied to determine alcohol consumption, smoking, and sexual behavior. The HPV status was determined by p16 immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

A total of 252 patients participated in the study, of these 221 (87.7%) were male. There were 81 (32.14%) p16 positive cases and 171 (67.85%) p16 negative cases. The p16positive group was significantly associated with younger patients (50-59 years), higher education level, lower clinical stage and patients who never drank or smoked. Through univariate logistic regression, we observed that female sex (OR, 3.47; 95% CI, 1.60-7.51) and higher education level (OR, 9.39; 95% CI, 2, 81-31,38) were significantly more likely to be p16 positive. Early clinical stage (AJCC8ed) was more associated with p16 positivity both in univariate (OR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.07-0.26, p<0.001) and multivariate analysis (OR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.06-0.49, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study showed that drinkers and current smokers were less likely to be p16+. Female sex, higher education level and younger age at diagnosis were associated with a higher probability of being p16+. Additionally, there was a higher proportion of patients with early clinical stage (I or II) in the p16 positive group when compared to the p16 negative group.

The p16/ki-67 assay is a safe, effective and rapid approach to triage women with mild cervical lesions

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and efficiency of p16/ki-67 dual stain in the identification of CIN2+ lesions, in Greek women with ASCUS or LSIL cytology.

METHODS

A total of 200 women, 20 to 60 years old, were enrolled in the study. All samples were cytologically evaluated and performed for p16/ki-67 and high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) test. All patients were referred to colposcopy for biopsy and histological evaluation. Three cervical cancer (CC) screening strategies were designed and the total direct medical costs of the procedures during our clinical trial were evaluated, from a healthcare perspective.

RESULTS

HPV 16 as expected was the most common HR-HPV type followed by HPV 31 and HPV 51. The risk for CIN2+ was significantly higher in HPV 16/18 positive cases. p16/ki-67 demonstrated a high sensitivity for CIN2+ identification in both ASCUS and LSIL groups (90.4% and 95%, respectively). HR-HPV test with sensitivity 52.3% and 65.5%, as well as colposcopy with sensitivity 14.3% and 36% respectively in ASCUS and LSIL group, showed inferior results compared to p16/ki-67. The specificity of p16/ki-67 for ASCUS and LSIL was 97.2% and 95.2% respectively, inferior only to colposcopy: 100% and 100%, lacking however statistical significance. HR-HPV test instead, presented the lowest specificity: 76.4% and 71.4% respectively in comparison to the other two methods. From a healthcare perspective, the costs and benefits of the tests implementation for the annual screening and triaging, in three CC screening strategies, were also calculated and discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study indicate that p16/ki-67 is a safe and rapid assay that could be used to detect CIN2+ among women with mild cervical lesions, presenting both high sensitivity and specificity and could minimize the psychological and economic burden of HPV screening.

Validation of CINtec® PLUS Cytology Kit in the Diagnosis of Persistent HPV Infections - Cohort Study in the Portuguese Population

Context

The use of the CINtec® PLUS Cytology Kit as a complementary method of diagnosis is intended to contribute to a risk assessment of CIN II+ cervical lesions development, thus avoiding unnecessary colposcopy in negative cases. This method has proved to be effective in the follow-up of cervical lesions, although there is need for consistency in the approach of equivocal or negative cytological results, with persistent positive High-Risk Human Papillomavirus (HR-HPV) test.

Aims

The present study intends to retrospectively evaluate the capacity of the CINtec® to add information to the clinical practice within the screening and follow-up of cervical lesions. Additionally, this study intends to define criteria for CINtec® referral in order to maximize its utilization in the Portuguese context.

Materials and Methods

For this purpose, 225 cases with CINtec® PLUS Cytology Kit and histology results were used, and data were analysed and compared according to the cytology and HR-HPV molecular test results.

Results

The data of this study show that CINtec® PLUS Cytology Kit is a valid test for the diagnosis of persistent HPV lesions (p = 0.0005), with excellent sensitivity and reliable values of specificity. Relevant patient groups to apply the kit are in agreement with the manufacturer recommendations: women with ASC-US/LSIL result and NILM cytology with HPV-positive test, essentially over 30 years old.

Conclusions

Although clinical data and previous cytological information must help guiding, authors considered that CINtec® is a really valid test for the prognosis of persistent HPV infections in the female population.

Role of Cervical Cancer Biomarkers p16 and Ki67 in Abnormal Cervical Cytological Smear

Introduction

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in India. Screening for cervical cancer helps in marked reduction of invasive cervical cancers. The low sensitivity of Papanicolaou cytology (Pap smear) and high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) in excluding high-grade intraepithelial lesion (ASC-H) leads to unnecessary referrals to colposcopy-guided biopsy. The combined cervical cytology screening and HR-HPV have its own limitations and still need further standardization. Using additional biomarkers like staining with p16 and Ki-67 might help in triaging abnormal pap smear.

Materials and Methods

A prospective, cross-sectional study was performed over a period of 16 months in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, in collaboration with Department of Pathology. Study was conducted to know the efficacy of immunostaining with p16/Ki-67 in predicting the presence of significant lesion in cases of mild cytological atypia. PAP smears (conventional and LBC) along with P16, Ki-67 and available biopsies were correlated.

Results

Liquid-based cytology (LBC) was done in 2134 cases, out of which 46 cases showed abnormal cytological findings such as [22 atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), 3 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), 8 atypical squamous cells cannot exclude high-grade lesion (ASC-H), 6 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), 5 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 2 adenocarcinoma, 1 atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGUS)]. Immunostaining with p16 and Ki-67 was performed on 38 cases of abnormal cytological smears. Out of 38 abnormal cytology cases, 28 cases had shown co-staining for both p16 and Ki-67, suggestive of true HPV infection of the cells. Of the 38 cases, 07/14 ASCUS, 06/06 HSIL, 07/08 ASC-H, 05/05 squamous cell carcinoma and 02/02 adenocarcinoma also showed dual positivity for p16 and Ki-67. One case of AGUS was diagnosed, but the smear was unsatisfactory for immunocytochemical evaluation and excluded from the study. Three cases of LSIL were also diagnosed on cytological evaluation, and 1 of them however showed positivity for p16 and Ki-67 on immunocytochemistry (ICC). In the ASC-US group, the sensitivity and specificity of the immunostaining in diagnosing CIN2 + lesions were 87.51%, and in LSIL group, the sensitivity and specificity of the immunostaining in diagnosing CIN2 + lesions were 100%. p16/Ki-67 positivity also increased with cytological severity which in turn corresponded with histological findings: it reached from 50% in ASC-US to 100% in both HSIL and SCC categories.

Conclusion

This immunostaining with p16 and Ki67 can be a useful method in the triaging of the ASC-US and the LSIL group as considering the high sensitivity and specificity values.

Dual staining for p16/Ki-67 to detect high-grade cervical lesions: Results from the Screening Triage Ascertaining Intraepithelial Neoplasia by Immunostain Testing study

We compared clinical performance of p16/Ki-67 dual-stained cytology and human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping, via different algorithms-alone, or in combination with cytology-to identify cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+) and grade 3 or worse (CIN3+) in women referred to as colposcopy. We included 492 cervical specimens (134 normal, 130 CIN1, 99 CIN2, 121 CIN3, 8 cancers) randomly selected from 1158 specimens with valid conventional cytology, HPV (cobas 4800 HPV test) and biopsy results. Dual-stained cytology was retrospectively performed (CINtec PLUS assay) on PreservCyt material; slides were read by a cytologist and confirmed by two pathologists, blinded to cytology, biopsy and genotyping results. Sensitivity and specificity (95% confidence intervals in parentheses) of dual-stained cytology to detect CIN2+ and CIN3+ were compared to other screening tests available for the same women. Positivity rate for dual-stained cytology increased with histological severity: 30.6% in normal, 41.5% in CIN1, 72.7% in CIN2, 86.8% in CIN3 and 87.5% in cancer. Dual-stained cytology alone had lower sensitivity than HPV testing for CIN2+ [80.7% (75.0-85.6) vs 89.9% (85.3-93.5)] and CIN3+ [86.8% (79.7-92.1) vs 92.3% (86.2-96.2)]. However, corresponding specificity values were higher [64.0% (57.9-69.8) vs 56.1% (49.8-62.1) for CIN2+; 54.0% (48.7-59.2) vs 44.4% (39.2-49.6) for CIN3+]. Combining dual-stained cytology with an ASC-US abnormality threshold decreased specificity to 31.4% (25.9-37.4) for CIN2+ and 24.2% (19.9-29.0) for CIN3+. The corresponding values considering low squamous intraepithelial lesion threshold values were 42.8% (36.8-49.0) and 35.0% (30.1-40.1). Dual-stained cytology and HPV testing exhibited similar performance, although the former improved the specificity by 7.9% and 9.6% for CIN2+ and CIN3+, respectively.

Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion on Papanicolaou test: follow-up rates and stratification of risk for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion

INTRODUCTION

Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) Papanicolaou test is associated with moderate risk of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) at colposcopic biopsy. High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) cotesting risk stratifies patients with LSIL Papanicolaou test, with higher rates of HSIL for those hrHPV+. hrHPV genotyping is not considered in current LSIL management algorithms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a 2-year retrospective review of LSIL Papanicolaou tests in patients 25 to 65 years old to assess rates of follow-up and HSIL at biopsy. Patient age, hrHPV cotest and genotype results, prior screening results, and follow-up testing for 3 years were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 71.5% (376 of 526) of patients had at least 1 follow-up colposcopic biopsy; 18% had HSIL on follow-up, including 20% of hrHPV+ and 12% of hrHPV-. HSIL at biopsy was most common when HPV16/18 was present (32%) and when multiple subtypes were detected (46%) versus when non-16, non-18 hrHPV alone was present (16%) or hrHPV was negative (12%). Of those hrHPV-, 5 of 22 (23%) with a prior screening abnormality had HSIL versus 1 of 27 (4%) for those without prior abnormalities. Follow-up occurred more commonly for hrHPV+ cotests (82%) than hrHPV- cotests (54%). No differences in follow-up rate based on hrHPV genotyping was seen.

CONCLUSIONS

The highest HSIL rates were seen when HPV16/18 was present (32%). HSIL rates were similar for those hrHPV- (12%) and non-16, non-18 hrHPV+ (16%). Follow-up was more common for those hrHPV+, but genotype results did not impact follow-up rates. Past screening results may impact risk of HSIL for hrHPV- cases.

HPV genotyping and p16/Ki-67 test significantly improve detection rate of high-grade cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion

INTRODUCTION

Liquid-based cytology allows to apply modern and specific analyses of hrHPV genotyping in p16/Ki-67 test. All of these together could raise accuracy ratio for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion above 90%. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of LBC, hrHPV testing, and p16/Ki-67 testing in diagnosis of high-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study consisted of 176 women, out of which 50 presented with HSIL (CIN2) SCC (cervical intraepithelial lesion grade 2 squamous cell carcinoma). 126 women with a negative Pap test were pooled into the second group of the study. All patients were resampled for LBC, HPV genotyping, and for the p16/Ki-67 test. The research was carried out between May and December 2017, and second sampling were taken from 1 to 4 months.

RESULTS

We reported a strong correlation between positive Pap test and hrHPV (p < 0.05) that met accuracy close to 90%. We noted correlations between a positive p16/Ki-67 with a positive Pap test: p < 0.001; 66% sensitivity (95% CI: 51.2-78.8%), 87.8% specificity (95% CI: 75.2-95.4%), 76.8% accuracy (95% CI: 67.2-84.7%), and OR 13.9 (95% CI: 4.9-39.2), especially HSIL and HPV16: p < 0.001; sensitivity (95% CI) 64.0, specificity (95% CI) 98.4, accuracy (95% CI) 88.6, OR (95% CI) 109.3.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study indicate hrHPV genotyping as a good biomarker for the triage of patients with an abnormal cytological report. In our opinion, the hrHPV test reaches the highest level of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, and should be considered as crucial diagnostic test in cervical screening.

p16/Ki-67 dual staining has a better accuracy than human papillomavirus (HPV) testing in women with abnormal cytology under 30 years old

Due to a high rate of transient human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, HPV genotyping has a low specificity for high-grade cervical lesions, especially in young women. p16/Ki-67 dual immunocytochemical staining can also be used for the detection of oncogenic changes in cervical cells. Our aim was to compare the performance of p16/Ki-67 dual staining and HPV genotyping in the detection of high-grade cervical lesions in patients with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS)/low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) on Pap smear. We retrospectively analyzed 310 patients with ASCUS/LSIL on Pap smear, who underwent colposcopy. Among these, 161 patients with suspected lesions detected by colposcopy were referred for biopsy. HPV genotyping by LINEAR ARRAY HPV Genotyping Test (CE-IVD) and p16/Ki-67 dual staining by CINtec PLUS Cytology kit was performed prior to cervical biopsy. The overall sensitivity and specificity of HPV genotyping for the detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2-3 was 79% and 72%, respectively in patients with ASCUS, and 85% and 64%, respectively in patients with LSIL. For p16/Ki-67 test, sensitivity and specificity rate was 66% and 93%, respectively in ASCUS and 59% and 79%, respectively in LSIL group. The specificity of p16/Ki-67 staining was significantly higher in both groups in patients aged <30 years compared to patients >30 years old (p < 0.001). Our results showed that p16/Ki-67 dual staining has a higher specificity compared to HPV genotyping, especially in patients under 30 years old. This indicates the usefulness of p16/Ki-67 testing in the triage of patients with ASCUS/LSIL and <30 years old, prior to referral for colposcopy and biopsy.

Meta-analysis of the accuracy of p16 or p16/Ki-67 immunocytochemistry versus HPV testing for the detection of CIN2+/CIN3+ in triage of women with minor abnormal cytology

BACKGROUND

Women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) can be triaged accurately with a high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) test to identify those who need a referral. However, the triage of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) with hrHPV testing has very low specificity. Overexpression of p16, with or without Ki-67, indicates neoplastic transformation of human papillomavirus-infected cervical cells and may more accurately predict underlying cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 3 or worse (CIN3+).

METHODS

A literature search was conducted in 3 bibliographic databases. Studies were selected if they included women with ASC-US or LSIL who were triaged with dual staining (p16/Ki-67) and/or p16 staining and, if available, with a comparator hrHPV test to detect cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 or worse (CIN2+) or CIN3+.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight studies were eligible. The sensitivity of p16 staining for CIN3+ was significantly lower than that of hrHPV DNA testing (ratio for ASC-US, 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.78-0.97; ratio for LSIL, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.80-0.93). In contrast, the specificity of p16 staining was substantially higher with relative specificities of 1.60 (95% CI, 1.35-1.88) and 2.29 (95% CI, 2.05-2.56) for ASC-US and LSIL respectively. Dual staining was as sensitive as hrHPV DNA testing but was more specific (ratio for ASC-US, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.42-1.92; ratio for LSIL, 2.45; 95% CI, 2.17-2.77).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis confirms that p16 staining and p16/Ki-67 staining are more specific for CIN2+/CIN3+ than hrHPV DNA testing. Although p16 staining is less sensitive for CIN3+ than hrHPV DNA testing, dual staining has similar sensitivity.

Evaluation of p16/Ki-67 dual staining in the detection of cervical precancer and cancer in China

Background This study aimed to evaluate the clinical performance of p16/Ki-67 dual staining in the detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or 3 or worse (CIN2+/CIN3+) in Chinese women. Methods Cervical exfoliated cells were collected from 537 eligible women and were used for liquid-based cytology (LBC), p16/Ki-67 dual staining, and human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing. All women received colposcopy with biopsies taken at abnormal sites. Histopathological diagnoses were used as the gold standard. Results p16/Ki-67 staining had a positivity rate of 43.58% overall; the rate increased significantly with histological severity (p <0.001). The sensitivities of p16/ki-67 for detecting CIN2+ and CIN3+ were 88.10% and 91.30%, respectively. Compared with high-risk HPV (HR-HPV), sensitivity of p16/Ki-67 was lower for detecting CIN2+ (88.10% versus 95.71%), but similar for detecting CIN3+ (91.30% versus 96.27%). Specificities of p16/Ki-67 were 85.02% for detecting CIN2+ and 76.86% for detecting CIN3+, values similar to those for LBC (84.71% for CIN2+, 80.05% for CIN3+) but higher than those for HR-HPV (62.77% for CIN2+, 71.25% for CIN3+). All the tests performed better in women>30 years. With respect to the performance of triage for women with ASC-US, sensitivities of p16/Ki-67 were 86.36% for detecting CIN2+ and 83.33% for detecting CIN3+, values similar to those of HR-HPV. However, specificities of p16/Ki-67 were both higher than those of HR-HPV (85.96% versus 67.54% for CIN2+, 79.84% versus 62.90% for CIN3+). Conclusion P16/Ki-67 dual staining could probably provide an optional method for China's national cervical cancer screening, and could also be considered as an efficient method of triage for managing women with ASC-US.

p16/Ki67 dual staining improves the detection specificity of high-grade cervical lesions

AIM

The goal of this study was to analyze the specificity of p16/Ki67 dual staining in the detection of high-grade cervical lesions.

METHODS

A total of 223 patients with an average age of 39 years old were enrolled in this study. All samples were analyzed by p16/Ki67 immunocytochemical dual staining, liquid-based cytology and high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) test. Diagnosis of each patient was verified by histopathological test.

RESULTS

The specificity of p16/Ki67 dual staining was 68.33%, which was significantly higher than that of cytology (38.33%) and HR-HPV test (21.67%) (P < 0.05) for CIN2+ detection. p16/Ki67 dual staining had similar sensitivity with HR-HPV test for CIN2+ detection (90.18% vs 93.87%, P = 0.286). In atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) cases, the specificity of p16/Ki67 dual staining was significantly higher than that of HPV test (66.67% vs 3.70%, P < 0.05) and its sensitivity was similar to that of HPV test for CIN2+ detection. The sensitivity and specificity of dual staining for CIN2+ detection in HR-HPV positive women were 90.85% and 70.21%, respectively, which were higher than those of cytology (83.01% and 42.55%) and HPV16/18 test (70.59% and 44.68%).

CONCLUSIONS

p16/Ki67 dual staining could improve the specificity of high-grade cervical lesions detection and have similar sensitivity to HPV test for CIN2+ detection. When triaging women with ASC-US or LSIL liquid-based cytology, compared with positive HR-HPV, the specificity of CIN2+ lesion detection was increased by p16/Ki67 dual staining. p16/Ki67 dual staining could reduce colposcopy referrals and avoid excessive diagnosis and treatment.

Evaluation of Telomerase (hTert), Ki67 and p16ink4a expressions in low and high-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions

Objective

to study the association between the histological grading of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN I, CIN II and CIN III) and the immunohistochemical expression for p16ink4a, hTert and Ki67, as well as to evaluate the relationship of these markers with the risk of recurrence after surgical treatment.

Methods

we studied a historical cohort of 94 women with intraepithelial lesions CIN I (low grade), CIN II and CIN III (high grades) submitted to conization or electrosurgical excision of the transformation zone. We evaluated all surgical specimens for immunohistochemical expression of p16ink4a, hTert and Ki67.

Results

the mean age was 38.2 years; p16ink4a was absent in most CIN I cases. In patients with CIN II or I/II (association of low and high-grade lesions), we observed p16ink4a ≤10%. In patients with CIN III, we found a higher expression frequency of p16ink4a >50%. In CIN I, the majority had Ki67≤10% and low frequency of Ki67>50%. In the CIN III category, there were fewer patients with Ki67≤10%, and Ki67 was absent in most patients of CIN II and III groups. There was no association between hTert expression and histologic grade. There were no statistically significant differences between the expression of the markers in patients with and without recurrence.

Conclusion

there was a statistically significant association of p16ink4a and Ki67 with histological grade. The markers' expression, as for disease recurrence, was not statistically significant in the period evaluated.

Paper-based immunosensor with signal amplification by enzyme-labeled anti-p16INK4a multifunctionalized gold nanoparticles for cervical cancer screening

The aim of this study was to develop a paper-based immunosensor for cervical cancer screening, with signal amplification by multifunctionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The AuNPs were functionalized with a highly specific antibody to the p16^INK4a cancer biomarker. The signal was amplified using a combination of the peroxidase activity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme-antibody conjugate and the peroxidase-like activity of the AuNPs. The immune complex of p16^INK4a protein and multifunctionalized AuNPs was deposited on the nitrocellulose membrane, and a positive result was generated by catalytic oxidation of peroxidase enzyme substrate 3,3',5,5'-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). The entire reaction occurred on the membrane within 30 min. Evaluation in clinical samples revealed 85.2% accuracy with a kappa coefficient of 0.69. This proof of concept study demonstrates the successful development of a highly accurate, paper-based immunosensor that is easy to interpret using the naked eye and that is suitable for cervical cancer screening in low-resource settings.

Role of p16/Ki-67 Dual Immunostaining in Detection of Cervical Cancer Precursors

Background

Pap-smears-based cytology and human papilloma virus testing have their own limitations in detecting cervical precancerous lesions, and still need further standardization. Co-expression of p16^ink4a and Ki-67 can be used as additional biomarker.

Aims

To study the role of liquid-based cytology and the dual immunostaining for p16/Ki-67 in predicting the presence of significant lesion in cases of mild cytological atypia.

Materials and Methods

A prospective, cross-sectional study was performed in the Department of Pathology, in collaboration with Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology over 15 months including 545 patients. Immunocytochemistry followed by colposcopy-guided biopsy were performed in 52 cases with epithelial abnormalities.

Results

Thirty-five cases (67%) were dual-stain positive among the cases with epithelial abnormalities. In the ASC-US and LSIL group, the sensitivity and specificity of the immunostaining in diagnosing CIN2+ lesions were 100 and 70% and 87.5 and 100%, respectively. p16/Ki-67 positivity also increased with cytological severity which in turn corresponded with histological findings: it reached from 33% in ASC-US to 100% in both HSIL and SCC categories.

Conclusion

This dual immunostaining may potentially be a useful tool in the triage of the ASC-US and the LSIL group, considering the high sensitivity and specificity values.

Cervical Papanicolaou Smears in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients: High Prevalence of Therapy-Related Atypia during the Acute Phase

Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients have a higher risk of cervical cancer. Papanicolaou (Pap) smear is the standard tool for screening cervical cancer, but there is limited research about the cervical cytology in HSCT recipients. Here, we retrospectively included adult female patients who underwent allogeneic or autologous HSCT at National Taiwan University Hospital during 2009 to 2015 and reviewed their Pap smears before and after HSCT. There were 248 allogeneic and 131 autologous HSCT recipients in our study. In allogeneic HSCT recipients, 38.7% (96 of 248) had pre-HSCT Pap smears and 17.1% (44 of 248) had post-HSCT Pap smears. In the autologous HSCT recipients, 35.1% (46 of 131) had pre-HSCT Pap smears and 13.7% (18 of 131) had post-HSCT Pap smears. Compared with allogeneic HSCT recipients without post-HSCT Pap smears, more recipients with post-HSCT Pap smears received bone marrow-derived stem cells (18.2% versus 4.9% respectively; P = .0077) and had longer overall survival (median overall survival, not reached versus 22.1 months; P < .0001). The abnormal rates of post-HSCT Pap smear were 13% (6 of 44) and 11% (2 of 18) in allogeneic and autologous recipients respectively, higher than in the general Taiwanese population (1.22%). Infections were rare in post-HSCT Pap smears. Of note, 11% (5 of 44) of post-HSCT Pap smears from allogeneic recipients showed therapy-related atypia, manifesting as enlarged hyperchromatic nuclei, vacuolated cytoplasm, and occasional tadpole-like cells. These atypical cytological features mimic precancerous lesions, but cervical biopsies and human papilloma virus tests were negative. The atypical cytological features resolved spontaneously in the subsequent follow-up Pap smears. On average, Pap smears with therapy-related atypia were sampled at day +77, significantly earlier than those without therapy-related atypia (P = .016). Therapy-related atypia was more frequent in post-HSCT Pap smears sampled within 100 days after HSCT (before day +100, 4 of 5, 80%, versus after day +100, 1 of 39, 2.56%; P = .0002). The strong temporal relationship suggests these atypical cytological changes resulted from conditioning regimen, most likely busulfan-containing chemotherapy. No therapy-related atypia were observed after total body irradiation or nonbusulfan-containing chemotherapy. In conclusion, therapy-related atypia was common in post-HSCT Pap smears sampled within 100 days after HSCT. Clinical information is critical for correct cytological diagnosis.

Triage of high-risk HPV positive women in cervical cancer screening

INTRODUCTION

High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) testing is expected to replace cytology as primary screening method for cervical cancer screening in an increasing number of countries. The high sensitivity of hrHPV testing is combined with a limited specificity which makes triaging of hrHPV positive women necessary. As an ideal triage method does not yet exist, an optimal triage strategy for hrHPV positive women based on current knowledge should be obtained. The aim of this article is to present an overview of available options for triage of hrHPV positive women, with their strengths and limitations and possible future opportunities.

AREAS COVERED

Current knowledge on morphological biomarkers, molecular biomarkers and combined triage strategies will be discussed to give an overview of the state-of-the-art on triaging hrHPV positive women. The literature search was limited to studies on triage strategies for hrHPV positive women. Expert commentary: Experience with morphology-based biomarkers makes these a valuable triage method. However, they lack the ability of differentiating productive from transforming infections. Molecular biomarkers are objective, highly reproducible, can be used in high throughput testing, and show promising results. With more extensive knowledge on these molecular markers, cervical cancer screening may transform to a full molecular screening in the future.

Keratoacanthoma of the Lip: Activation of the mTOR Pathway, Tumor Suppressor Proteins, and Tumor Senescence

The PI3K-PTEN-mTOR is one of the most important pathways involved in cancer development and progression; however, its role in keratoacanthoma (KA) is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the activation of key proteins in the PI3K-mTOR pathway in lip KA. We analyzed the activation of the PI3K-PTEN-mTOR pathway using human tumor samples stained for well-established protein markers in this pathway, including pS6 and pAKT phosphoproteins. We assessed proliferation using Ki-67 and performed additional morphological and immunohistochemical analysis using anti-PTEN and anti-p16 antibodies.We found that the majority of KA labeled to pS6 and not pAKT. PTEN expression was inversely correlated with Ki-67 expression. In addition to PTEN expression, KA cells were positive for p16 senescence marker. PI3K-PTEN-mTOR pathway is activated in lip KA, leading to downstream activation of mTORC1, but not mTORC2. This pathway plays an important role in KA progression by promoting proliferation and activation of oncogenic-induced senescence.