ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The postoperative complication rate is 30-64% among patients undergoing muscle-invasive and recurrent high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer surgery. Preoperative risky alcohol use increases the risk. The aim was to evaluate the accuracy of markers for identifying preoperative risky alcohol. METHODS: Diagnostic test sub-study of a randomized controlled trial (STOP-OP trial), based on a cohort of 94 patients scheduled for major bladder cancer surgery. Identification of risky alcohol use using Timeline Follow Back interviews (TLFB) were compared to the AUDIT-C questionnaire and three biomarkers: carbohydrate-deficient transferrin in plasma (P-CDT), phosphatidyl-ethanol in blood (B-PEth), and ethyl glucuronide in urine (U-EtG). RESULTS: The correlation between TLFB and AUDIT-C was strong (ρ = 0.75), while it was moderate between TLFB and the biomarkers (ρ = 0.55-0.65). Overall, sensitivity ranged from 56 to 82% and specificity from 38 to 100%. B-PEth showed the lowest sensitivity at 56%, but the highest specificity of 100%. All tests had high positive predictive values (79-100%), but low negative predictive values (42-55%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite high positive predictive values, negative predictive values were weak compared to TLFB. For now, TLFB interviews seem preferable for preoperative identification of risky alcohol use.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is preventable through screening and vaccination against high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV). For a screening program to be successful it is vital that the clinical management and follow-up regime of patients with abnormal screening results is well developed and that the attendance rate for follow-up is high. The aim of the study was to analyze how effective conization with recommended follow-up was in preventing subsequent cervical cancer, and to evaluate how clinical follow-up recommendations are obeyed in the region of Skåne, Sweden. METHODS: All women (n = 8835) who had undergone conization in the region of Skåne, Sweden, between the years of 2015 and 2021 were identified. Individuals with confirmed cervical cancer in the conization material were referred for additional treatment (n = 114), leaving 8721 included in the follow-up. Adherence to follow-up and cytological, histopathological and HPV status at follow-up were collected at eight, 12 and 24 months post-conization. The total follow-up time was from January 1, 2015, to January 30, 2023. RESULTS: Within 12 months post-conization, 90% of the patients conducted a cytological cervical sample. The rates of a negative test of cure (HPV negative and normal cytology) were 69.7%, 76.3% and 84.4% at eight, 12 and 24 months post-conization respectively. The clearance of HPV was 79.6%, 80.8% and 87.8% at eight, 12 and 24 months post-conization respectively. Out of 5613 patients with a negative test of cure within one year after conization, no cervical cancer was found during follow-up and 11 (0.2%) women developed high-grade intraepithelial lesions/adenocarcinoma in situ (HSIL/AIS) with an average time from conization to new diagnosis of 42 months. The mean follow-up time was 32.1 months. CONCLUSIONS: The clearance rate of hr-HPV post cervical conization due to dysplasia appears to be high within eight months. With a negative test of cure post cervical conization, the risk of cervical cancer within the following three years seems to be extremely low and the risk of developing HSIL/AIS was lower than the incidence of HSIL/AIS in the general screening population.