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7 novembre 2024
COMUNITÀ E SALUTE GLOBALE
Articolo
HPV Testing in South African Clinic May Prevent Cervical Cancer
Il tumore della cervice è il secondo tumore più comune diagnosticato nelle donne sudafricane, ma è uno dei tumori più evitabili. La malattia è causata da un’infezione della cervice (collo dell’utero) causata da un virus molto comune noto come papillomavirus umano (HPV). Anche se la maggior parte delle donne affette da infezione da HPV è in grado di eliminare l’infezione attraverso la propria immunità, alcune donne sviluppano un tumore a causa di questa infezione.
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.
Le donne delle comunità svantaggiate del Sudafrica devono affrontare molti ostacoli per accedere a servizi sanitari di qualità, incluso il test dell’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 cittadina di Khayelitsha, a Città del Capo, è un’area svantaggiata in cui vi sono tassi relativamente elevati di infezioni da HPV non diagnosticate. In precedenza, l’attività di test per l’HPV presso la clinica della comunità di Khayelitsha prevedeva l’invio dei campioni delle pazienti (striscio vaginale) a un laboratorio. It took about six weeks for the results to come back to the clinic. Più il tempo di ottenimento dei risultati si prolungava, più era difficile per la clinica contattare le donne per comunicare i risultati. Many patients never returned to the clinic after their initial visit, meaning they didn't get the treatment they may have needed.
Tuttavia, è estremamente improbabile che le donne positive all’HPV, una volta individuate e trattate in modo appropriato, sviluppino il tumore della cervice.
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.
Più di 3.000 donne hanno ricevuto risultati in giornata per l’HPV presso la clinica, ottenendo protezione dalla possibilità di sviluppare un carcinoma della cervice in futuro. Oltre il 95% delle donne ha accettato di buon grado l’attesa di un’ora per ricevere i risultati e il piano di trattamento.
Guarda per scoprire come i test point-of-care stanno accelerando il percorso diagnostico per l’HPV nelle cliniche sanitarie di comunità in Sudafrica.
Trascrizione
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.”
Riferimenti bibliografici:
- WHO. Cervical cancer health topics. Accessed 9/16/2024. https://www.who.int/health-topics/cervical-cancer#tab=tab_1
- Cancer Research U.K. About Cancer. Access 9/16/2-24. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/infections-eg-hpv-and-cancer/does-hpv-cause-cancer
- WHO Factsheet; Human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/human-papillomavirus-(hpv)-and-cervical-cancer
CE-IVD. Dispositivo medico diagnostico in vitro. Potrebbe non essere disponibile in alcuni Paesi. Non disponibile negli Stati Uniti.
*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. Le indicazioni relative al test Xpert HPV comprendono: The Xpert HPV Assay can be used with a Pap specimen to assess the presence or absence of high-risk HPV types. Le informazioni così ottenute, insieme alla valutazione medica dell’anamnesi della paziente, agli altri fattori di rischio e alle linee guida professionali, possono essere utilizzate come ausilio nella gestione della paziente. • Il saggio Xpert HPV può essere utilizzato con il campione di analisi del Pap test per valutare la presenza o l’assenza dei genotipi HPV 16 and 18/45. Le informazioni così ottenute, insieme alla valutazione medica dell’anamnesi della paziente, agli altri fattori di rischio e alle linee guida professionali, possono essere utilizzate come ausilio nella gestione della paziente.
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