BMJ Open (May 2020)

Multicentric study of cervical cancer screening with human papillomavirus testing and assessment of triage methods in Latin America: the ESTAMPA screening study protocol

  • Nathalie Broutet,
  • Raúl Murillo,
  • Maria Isabel Rodriguez,
  • Maribel Almonte,
  • Gloria Inés Sánchez,
  • Paula González,
  • Annabelle Ferrera,
  • María Alejandra Picconi,
  • Carolina Wiesner,
  • Aurelio Cruz-Valdez,
  • Eduardo Lazcano-Ponce,
  • Jose Jerónimo,
  • Catterina Ferreccio,
  • Elena Kasamatsu,
  • Laura Mendoza,
  • Guillermo Rodríguez,
  • Alejandro Calderón,
  • Gino Venegas,
  • Verónica Villagra,
  • Silvio Tatti,
  • Laura Fleider,
  • Carolina Terán,
  • Armando Baena,
  • María de la Luz Hernández,
  • Mary Luz Rol,
  • Eric Lucas,
  • Sylvaine Barbier,
  • Arianis Tatiana Ramírez,
  • Silvina Arrossi,
  • Emmanuel González,
  • Marcela Celis,
  • Sandra Martínez,
  • Yuly Salgado,
  • Marina Ortega,
  • Andrea Verónica Beracochea,
  • Natalia Pérez,
  • Margarita Rodríguez de la Peña,
  • María Ramón,
  • Pilar Hernández-Nevarez,
  • Margarita Arboleda-Naranjo,
  • Yessy Cabrera,
  • Brenda Salgado,
  • Laura García,
  • Marco Antonio Retana,
  • María Celeste Colucci,
  • Javier Arias-Stella,
  • Yenny Bellido-Fuentes,
  • María Liz Bobadilla,
  • Gladys Olmedo,
  • Ivone Brito-García,
  • Armando Méndez-Herrera,
  • Lucía Cardinal,
  • Betsy Flores,
  • Jhacquelin Peñaranda,
  • Josefina Martínez-Better,
  • Ana Soilán,
  • Jacqueline Figueroa,
  • Benedicta Caserta,
  • Carlos Sosa,
  • Adrián Moreno,
  • Juan Mural,
  • Franco Doimi,
  • Diana Giménez,
  • Hernando Rodríguez,
  • Oscar Lora,
  • Silvana Luciani,
  • Teresa Darragh,
  • Rolando Herrero

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035796
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 5

Abstract

Read online

Introduction Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is replacing cytology in primary screening. Its limited specificity demands using a second (triage) test to better identify women at high-risk of cervical disease. Cytology represents the immediate triage but its low sensitivity might hamper HPV testing sensitivity, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), where cytology performance has been suboptimal. The ESTAMPA (EStudio multicéntrico de TAMizaje y triaje de cáncer de cuello uterino con pruebas del virus del PApiloma humano; Spanish acronym) study will: (1) evaluate the performance of different triage techniques to detect cervical precancer and (2) inform on how to implement HPV-based screening programmes in LMIC.Methods and analysis Women aged 30–64 years are screened with HPV testing and Pap across 12 study centres in Latin America. Screened positives have colposcopy with biopsy and treatment of lesions. Women with no evident disease are recalled 18 months later for another HPV test; those HPV-positive undergo colposcopy with biopsy and treatment as needed. Biological specimens are collected in different visits for triage testing, which is not used for clinical management. The study outcome is histological high-grade squamous intraepithelial or worse lesions (HSIL+) under the lower anogenital squamous terminology. About 50 000 women will be screened and 500 HSIL+ cases detected (at initial and 18 months screening). Performance measures (sensitivity, specificity and predictive values) of triage techniques to detect HSIL+ will be estimated and compared with adjustment by age and study centre.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and by those in each participating centre. A Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) has been established to monitor progress of the study, assure participant safety, advice on scientific conduct and analysis and suggest protocol improvements. Study findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific meetings.Trial registration number NCT01881659