SPOCCS III

SHANXI PROVINCE CERVICAL CANCER STUDY III

A population-based study of women, aged 16 to 54 years, was conducted in 3 rural ( Xinjiang , Shanxi, and Henan) and 2 urban areas ( Beijing and Shanghai) from July 2006 to April 2007 . Over 4200 women and girls were screened. The objectives were 1) to determine the type-specific prevalence of HPV, CIN 2+, and genital warts in Chinese Women ages 16-54 years. 2) To determine specific type of HPV in the Upper and Lower vagina, endocervix and anus in women with and without CIN 2+. Data was presented at the International HPV meetings in Malmo Sweden – Spring 2009 and published in the International J of Cancer winter 2010.

HR HPV prevalence ranged from 7.3% Xinjiang, 12-13% in Henan, Beijing, and Shanghai to 15.8% in Shanxi. LR HPV prevalence ranged from 1.6% in Xinjiang to 5.7% in Shanxi. Pathology-confirmed ≥CIN-3 prevalence was 0.4% in Shanghai, 0.5-1.2% in Henan, Xinjiang, Beijing, and 1.6% in Shanxi. Both HR and LR HPV types had constant prevalence across age. Genital warts were uncommon, ranging from 0% in Beijing to 0.6% in Xinjiang.

The  Lower sensitivity of self-collected specimens is secondary to lower levels of vaginal HR-HPV.  The principal cause of the lower specificity of self-collected specimens is HR-HPV present solely in the vagina which is not associated with ≥CIN 2.

Finally self sampling resembles direct sampling when one uses a PCR based assay.