Reproducibility of classification and correction for verification bias as determinants of performance of Papanicolaou smear cytology in the screening setting: experience from the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union cohort study.

Objective: To assess impact on interlaboratory agreement of 2 optional modes to convert Papanicolaou classification to Bethesda System (TBS) and demonstrate effect of verification bias correction on test performance in the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union (NIS) cohort study.

Study Design: Conventional Pap smears were classified in NIS laboratories and rescreened in a reference center (RC) using modified Papanicolaou classification. Two optional methods (TBS1, TBS2) were used to convert original classification to TBS.

Persistent high-risk human papillomavirus infections and other end-point markers of progressive cervical disease among women prospectively followed up in the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union and the Latin American Screening study cohorts.

Background: New end points are needed in future human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine efficacy studies that accurately predict disease progression.

Objectives: Potential intermediate end points were analyzed in the combined New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (NIS) and the Latin American Screening (LAMS) study cohorts.

Study Design And Methods: Data files of 2 international screening trials, the NIS (n = 3187) and the LAMS (n = 12,114) study cohorts, were combined, and a subcohort of 1865 (n = 854 and n = 1011 for the NIS and the LAMS, respectively) women prospectively followed up for 19.

Age at menarche is not an independent risk factor for high-risk human papillomavirus infections and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Data are controversial as to the role of menarche age as a risk factor of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infections. The objective of this study was to analyse the risk estimates for age at menarche as determinant of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and HR-HPV infections. A cohort of 3187 women were stratified into three groups according to their age at menarche: (i) women <13 years of age; (ii) those between 13 and 14 years and (iii) women >15 years of age.

Smoking is an independent risk factor for oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) infections but not for high-grade CIN.

Background: Recent evidence implicates smoking as a risk factor for cervical cancer (CC), but the confounding from high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections is not clear.

Objectives: To analyse the role of smoking as an independent predictor of CIN2+ and HR-HPV infections in a population-based prospective (NIS, New Independent States of former Soviet Union) cohort study.

Study Design And Methods: A cohort of 3,187 women was stratified into three groups according to their smoking status: (i) women who never smoked; (ii) those smoking in the past; and (iii) women who are current smokers.

Oral contraceptives are not an independent risk factor for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or high-risk human papillomavirus infections.

Background: Oral contraception (OC) has been proclaimed by the IARC as a risk factor of cervical cancer (CC), on prolonged use by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) positive women. However, the available data are far from complete, and more evidence is necessary on the potential confounding effects of sexual behavior and HPV infection. The aim of the present was study to analyse the risk estimates for OC users in order to develop several intermediate end-point markers in cervical carcinogenesis.

Human papillomavirus testing and conventional pap smear cytology as optional screening tools of women at different risks for cervical cancer in the countries of the former soviet union.

Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and the single most important etiological agent of cervical cancer. In parallel with the increase of STDs and because of the lack of any organized cancer screening in the new independent states of the former Soviet Union, the incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer are rapidly rising. This is the first report from an ongoing European Commission-funded (INCO-Copernicus Program) cross-sectional and cohort study (focused on the key issues of this major health problem in the new independent states) analyzing the performance of the HPV DNA (Hybrid Capture II) test as a potential screening tool for cervical cancer in these countries.

Acquisition of high-risk human papillomavirus infections and pap smear abnormalities among women in the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union.

The rates of acquisition and the times of incident high-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and Pap smear abnormalities and their predictive factors were analyzed in women participating in a multicenter screening study in three countries of the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union. The 423 patients were prospectively monitored for a mean of 21.6 months.