No association between HPV infection and the neoplastic progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: result from a cross-sectional study in a high-risk region of China.

Esophageal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death, especially in developing countries. In high-risk regions, squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of esophageal cancer, and its etiology remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and related precursor lesions in a high-risk area of China.

[A methodology study on assessment of cancer screening test].

Objective: To analyze the effect of gold standard, blind comparison and different cut-points choosing on screening techniques assessment, and to promote the application of evidence-based medicine theory in screening study.

Methods: A screening study for cervical cancer in rural China in 1999, where 1997 women had been tested for pathology as gold standard and simulating situations without gold standard, blind comparison and under different cut-points. Indices such as detectable rate, sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each technique.