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

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

We assessed the detection of high-risk human papillomavirus DNA (HPV-DNA) in women examined by a second Pap smear due to atypical glandular cells (AGC) detected in their screening Pap smear. In 91 women included in the study, a second Pap smear was taken and HPV-DNA test was performed using Hybrid Capture II (HC II). The second Pap smear showed no abnormalities in 28 (31%) cases, ACG in 17 (19%) cases, and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) or worse in 24 (26%). HC II test was positive in 36% of the cases. Considering the second Pap smear diagnosis, HPV-DNA was detected in 87% of the women with HSIL, 100% of women with in situ adenocarcinoma, and only in 11% of the women with no abnormalities. The use of the second Pap smear combined with HPV-DNA may improve the management of women with AGC in the primary screening.

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

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