Temps de lecture : 5 min
7 novembre 2024
Article
Le cancer du col de l’utérus est le deuxième cancer le plus fréquemment diagnostiqué chez les femmes d’Afrique du Sud, mais c’est l’un des cancers les plus évitables. La maladie est causée par une infection du col de l’utérus (ouverture de l’utérus) par un virus très commun connu sous le nom de papillomavirus humain (VPH). Alors que la majorité des femmes infectées par le VPH sont en mesure d’éliminer l’infection grâce à leur propre immunité, certaines femmes développeront un cancer en raison de cette infection.
A community clinic for disadvantaged women in South Africa, demonstrated HPV testing and treatment in one visit was feasible using Cepheid GeneXpert® point-of-care testing, helping patients reduce their risk of developing cancer.
Les femmes vivant dans des communautés défavorisées d’Afrique du Sud sont confrontées à de nombreux obstacles pour accéder à des services de santé de qualité, y compris le dépistage du HPV. Historically, prevention of cervical cancer required women to undergo a Pap smear. However, for many women, the Pap smear was neither available nor accessible and could often take as long as 6 weeks to get a result. During this waiting period, positive individuals may be lost to follow-up and be a risk for transmission to others through skin-to-skin contact, including sexual activity.
La ville de Khayelitsha, au Cap, est une région défavorisée où il existe des taux relativement élevés d’infection au HPV non diagnostiquée. Auparavant, pour qu’une femme soit testée pour le HPV à la clinique communautaire de la municipalité de Khayelitsha, les échantillons des patients (frottis Pap) devaient être envoyés à un laboratoire. It took about six weeks for the results to come back to the clinic. Plus le temps s’écoulait, plus il était difficile pour la clinique d’entrer en contact avec les femmes pour leur donner leurs résultats. Many patients never returned to the clinic after their initial visit, meaning they didn't get the treatment they may have needed.
Pourtant, une fois détectées et traitées de manière appropriée, les femmes dont le test de dépistage du HPV est positif sont extrêmement peu susceptibles de développer un cancer du col de l’utérus.
The new point-of-care model of testing has condensed the test-and-treat pathway at the South African clinic from two appointments six weeks apart to a single visit.
It is now possible to take a sample from the cervix and immediately run the Xpert HPV test* on the GeneXpert system, located on-site, eliminating the need to transport the specimens to an off-site lab. Instead, within an hour, the system provides a result, enabling healthcare workers at the clinic to determine the best treatment for the patient the same day they are tested.
"The rates of HPV are quite high in this community,” explained Dr. Rakiya Saidu, University of Cape Town, doctor in obstetrics and gynaecology.
According to Saidu, the rapid HPV test takes away two of the main obstacles to preventing cervical cancer in low-income countries.
“One is women lost to follow-up. If we take a sample and the woman has to come back, she may never come back. It has also taken away the waiting to get treatment. Now a woman comes and gets the test done, gets the results and she gets treated if she needs it. That is very important," said Saidu.
Plus de 3 000 femmes ont reçu des résultats le jour même pour le VPH à la clinique, les protégeant potentiellement contre le développement d’un cancer du col de l’utérus à l’avenir. Plus de 95 % des femmes étaient d’accord pour attendre une heure afin de recevoir leurs résultats et leur plan de traitement.
Visionnez cette vidéo pour découvrir comment les tests en biologie délocalisée au plus proche des patients accélèrent le parcours de diagnostic du HPV dans les cliniques de santé communautaires d’Afrique du Sud.
Ncumisa Sonwabo: “My name is Ncumisa Sonwabo. I'm 41 years old and I have four lovely boys—three biological and one adopted. I live in Khayelitsha, one of the biggest townships in Cape Town.”
Rakiya Saidu, M.D.: “Khayelitsha is a diverse community with many health challenges, especially in semi-urban areas like this. The high rate of unemployment and violence, particularly against women, makes it difficult for women to negotiate condom use, putting them at risk for infections like HPV and HIV. These infections are prevalent and very real in this community.”
Lynette Denny, M.D, Ph.D: “These community health clinics were a brilliant idea. They offer diverse services to any woman who comes in seeking help. We also invite them to join our research projects focused on preventing cervical cancer. That's our main work.”
Ncumisa Sonwabo: “I never knew anything about cervical cancer until the clinic taught us about it and asked us to participate in the study. I was interested in doing it.”
Rakiya Saidu, M.D.: “This particular study started in 2015, and we have been recruiting patients through word of mouth. Women tell their neighbors and daughters, so we get a lot of patients. Over the last 1,5 years, we recruited over 3 000 women.”
Ncumisa Sonwabo: “When I go there, everything is fine. The staff is friendly and welcoming, and everything is easy. They have a playground for the kids, and they are welcome because they also give the kids some juices and stuff. It’s very nice to take your kids there.”
Dixy Zweni: “When a woman walks in, she goes to the waiting room where we provide health education about what is going to happen.”
Ncumisa Sonwabo: “I was scared but willing to test because I just wanted to stay safe. They say it's better to know beforehand.”
Dixy Zweni: “After placing the woman on the examination bed, we take a sample from the cervix and put it in a thin prep, which we take upstairs to the technician to test for HPV.”
Vathiswa Kamkam: “We use the GeneXpert® machine to determine which HPV type the patient has. When we get the specimens from the nurse, we prepare them and then put them in the GeneXpert machine, which takes an hour to prepare and get results.
Lynette Denny, M.D, Ph.D: “It's incredibly brilliant technology. You screen a woman and treat her during the same visit.”
Dixy Zweni: “Previously, we had to do a Pap smear and wait six weeks for the results, which was challenging because patients often didn't come back for their results, requiring us to trace and track them.”
Rakiya Saidu, M.D.: “The Rapid HPV Test removes two main obstacles in preventing cervical cancer in low-income countries: loss to follow-up and waiting for treatment. If a woman has to come back for results, she may never return. This test eliminates that issue and allows for treatment on the same day. The woman gets tested, receives her results, and gets treated if needed—all in one visit. This is very important.”
Dixy Zweni: “Patients are excited to be treated on the same day because they know a problem was detected and addressed immediately. This is beneficial for both us and the patients.”
Ncumisa Sonwabo: “Being in this small clinic has helped me a lot. I get to know the doctors and learn more about HPV. They teach us everything we need to know to take care of and protect ourselves. I like visiting there.”
Lynette Denny, M.D, Ph.D: “We've shown that screen and treat works. It prevents conditions that can lead to cancer. Now we need to implement it outside the comfort of this kind of building.”
Rakiya Saidu, M.D.: “It's a blessing to be a woman. Women face many issues, but somehow we cope with them all. As a doctor, I feel very honored to help other women.”
Références :
CE-IVD. Dispositif médical de diagnostic in vitro. Peut ne pas être disponible dans tous les pays. Non disponible aux États-Unis.
*Xpert HPV ENGLISH Package Insert 301-2585 Rev E Intended Use states that the Xpert HPV Assay is a qualitative in vitro test for the detection of the E6/E7 region of the viral DNA genome from high-risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in patient specimens. Les indications du Xpert HPV comprennent : The Xpert HPV Assay can be used with a Pap specimen to assess the presence or absence of high-risk HPV types. Cette information, accompagnée de l’évaluation par le médecin des antécédents médicaux de la patiente, des autres facteurs de risque et des recommandations professionnelles, peut être utilisée pour orienter la prise en charge de celle-ci. • Le test Xpert HPV Assay peut être utilisé avec un échantillon pour dépistage de Pap, afin d'évaluer la présence ou l'absence des génotypes 16 et 18/45 du HPV. Cette information, accompagnée de l’évaluation par le médecin des antécédents médicaux de la patiente, des autres facteurs de risque et des recommandations professionnelles, peut être utilisée pour orienter la prise en charge de celle-ci.
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