Prospective study of HPV16 viral load and risk of in situ and invasive squamous cervical cancer.

Background: A strong association has been shown between high viral DNA load (VL) of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 and risk for cervical cancer in situ (CIS). However, little data is available for the significance of VL in invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Methods: In 2 nested case-control studies among women participating in cervical screening, with a cytologically normal first smear, we collected 5,665 smears from 621 women with CIS, 457 with SCC, and individually matched controls.

Parental trust in health care--a prospective study from the Children's Cancer Hospital in Egypt.

Objective: Patient-physician communication and patient satisfaction are important elements of cancer care. Trust is considered to be crucial for the patient-physician relationship, yet little is to be found in the literature regarding what factors may influence trust.

Methods: We assessed predictors of trust in health-care professionals and in the medical care by administering two questionnaires, one at start of chemotherapy treatment and one at the time of the third chemotherapy cycle, to 304 parents of children with newly diagnosed cancer at the Children's Cancer Hospital in Cairo, Egypt.

Prospective study of human papillomavirus (HPV) types, HPV persistence, and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.

Background: The link between squamous cell cervical carcinoma and human papillomavirus (HPV) 16/18 is well established, but the magnitude of the risk association is uncertain and the importance of other high-risk HPV (HRHPV) types is unclear.

Methods: In two prospective nested case-control series among women participating in cytologic screening in Sweden, we collected 2,772 cervical smears from 515 women with cancer in situ (CIS), 315 with invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and individually matched controls. All smears were tested for HPV with PCR assays, and the median follow-up until diagnosis was 5 to 7 years.

Prospective study of human papillomavirus and risk of cervical adenocarcinoma.

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are established as a major cause of cervical carcinoma. However, causality inference is dependent on prospective evidence showing that exposure predicts risk for future disease. Such evidence is available for squamous cell carcinoma, but not for cervical adenocarcinoma.

Guilt after the loss of a husband to cancer: is there a relation with the health care provided?

Background: Feelings of guilt are common after bereavement. We investigated whether feelings of guilt after the loss of a husband to cancer are associated with the health care provided at the time close to and at the moment of death.

Materials And Methods: The study population consisted of 506 widows of men who died of prostate cancer in 1995 or of urinary bladder cancer in 1995 or 1996 at the ages 45-74 years.

A longitudinal Swedish study on screening for squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma: evidence of effectiveness and overtreatment.

Background: Organized Papanicolaou (Pap) screening has markedly reduced the incidence of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). However, the potential for overtreatment of precursor lesions is quite high for SCC, and the effectiveness of Pap screening for prevention of cervical adenocarcinoma is questionable.

Methods: Using the nationwide, virtually complete Swedish Cancer Register, we analyzed standardized incidence rates for SCC in situ (CIS), SCC, adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and adenocarcinoma, between 1968 and 2002.

Reproductive health of adolescent girls perinatally infected with HIV.

Objectives: We sought to describe the reproductive health of adolescent girls perinatally infected with HIV.

Methods: We estimated the incidence of first pregnancy, genital infections, and abnormal cervical cytology for 638 girls aged 13 years and older in the Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocol 219C.

Results: Thirty-eight girls became pregnant, for a first pregnancy rate of 18.

In utero nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor exposure and signs of possible mitochondrial dysfunction in HIV-uninfected children.

Background: There is equivocal evidence of in utero nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) exposure and the occurrence of mitochondrial dysfunction (MD) in HIV-uninfected children born of HIV-infected women.

Methods: The primary analysis included 1037 HIV-uninfected children born in 1991-2002 and enrolled in Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocols 219/219C. Possible cases with unexplained signs of MD according to the Enquête Périnatale Française criteria were identified through retrospective review.

Synergy between cigarette smoking and human papillomavirus type 16 in cervical cancer in situ development.

Background: A majority of studies have implicated the involvement of cigarette smoking in cervical cancer development, although its mechanism of action remains unclear. We conducted a large population-based case-control study to address the potential interaction between smoking and human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) in development of cervical cancer in situ (CIS).

Methods: Information on risk factors for CIS was collected via interview, and archival cervical smears were tested for HPV-16 DNA presence in cases (n = 375) and controls (n = 363).

Risk factors for opportunistic illnesses in children with human immunodeficiency virus in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Objective: To examine the relationship between the use of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) and the occurrence of opportunistic illnesses (OIs) among children perinatally infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group 219C cohort.