New Aspects and an Artificial Intelligence Approach for the Detection of Cervical Abnormalities

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged health systems worldwide by decreasing their reserves and effectiveness. In this changing landscape, the urge for reallocation of financial and human resources represents a top priority. In screening, effectiveness and efficiency are most relevant. In the quest against cervical cancer, numerous molecular ancillary techniques detecting HPV DNA or mRNA or other related biomarkers complement morphological assessment by the Papanicolaou test. However, no technique is perfect as sensitivity increases at the cost of specificity. Various approaches try to resolve this issue by incorporating several examination results, such as artificial intelligence are proposed. In this study, 1,258 cases with a complete result dataset for cytology, HPV DNA, HPV mRNA, and p16 were used to evaluate the performance of a self-organizing map (SOM), an unsupervised artificial neural network. The results of the SOM application were encouraging since it is capable of producing maps discriminating the necessary tests and has improved performance.

The impact of cumulative colorectal cancer screening delays: A simulation study

Objective Annual fecal immunochemical tests can reduce colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. However, screening is a multi-step process and most patients do not perfectly adhere to guideline-recommended screening schedules. Our objective was to compare the reduction in colorectal cancer incidence and life-years gained based on US guideline-concordant fecal immunochemical test screening to scenarios with a range of delays. Method The Colorectal Cancer Simulated Population model for Incidence and Natural history (CRC-SPIN) microsimulation model was used to estimate the effect of systematic departures from fecal immunochemical test screening guidelines on lifetime screening benefit. Results The combined effect of consistent modest delays in screening initiation (1 year), repeated fecal immunochemical test screening (3 months), and receipt of follow-up or surveillance colonoscopy (3 months) resulted in up to 1.3 additional colorectal cancer cases per 10,000, 0.4 additional late-stage colorectal cancer cases per 10,000 and 154.7 fewer life-years gained per 10,000. A 5-year delay in screening initiation had a larger impact on screening effectiveness than consistent small delays in repeated fecal immunochemical test screening or receipt of follow-up colonoscopy after an abnormal fecal immunochemical test. The combined effect of consistent large delays in screening initiation (5 years), repeated fecal immunochemical test screening (6 months), and receipt of follow-up or surveillance colonoscopy (6 months) resulted in up to 3.7 additional colorectal cancer cases per 10,000, 1.5 additional late-stage colorectal cancer cases per 10,000 and 612.3 fewer life-years gained per 10,000. Conclusions Systematic delays across the screening process can result in meaningful reductions in colorectal cancer screening effectiveness, especially for longer delays. Screening delays could drive differences in colorectal cancer incidence across patient groups with differential access to screening.

EXPRESS: Empowering Education with Crowdfunding: The Role of Crowdfunded Resources and Crowd Screening

Crowdfunding has emerged as a market-based solution to give frontline complex public service employees the opportunity to acquire resources by advertising project proposals for donor patrons on crowdfunding platforms. However, whether crowdfunded resources can improve offline service outcomes, and if so, how and when, remains murky. Focusing on the context of public education crowdfunding and applying theories from crowdfunding and services marketing literature, the authors conceptualize that the combination of two factors—namely, teachers' request for resources meant to satisfy unmet heterogeneous (i.e., diverse and evolving) intellectual needs of students and donors' screening and approval (i.e., crowd screening) of promising projects—helps improve student academic achievement. Collating novel panel data from DonorsChoose and California Department of Education, the authors show that (1) crowdfunded resources positively affect student academic achievement, (2) student academic achievement improves with the increase in the heterogeneity of intellectual needs that crowdfunded resources likely satisfy, (3) crowd screening of project proposals plays a critical role in the offline effectiveness of crowdfunded resources, and (4) crowd screening effectiveness depends on the type of project.

SARS-CoV-2 screening: effectiveness and risk of increasing transmission

Testing asymptomatic people for SARS-CoV-2 aims to reduce COVID-19 transmission. Screening programmes’ effectiveness depends upon testing strategy, sample handling logistics, test sensitivity and individual behaviour, in addition to dynamics of viral transmission. The interaction between these factors is not fully characterized. We investigated the interaction between these factors to determine how to optimize reduction of transmission. We estimate that under idealistic assumptions 70% of transmission may be averted, but under realistic assumptions only 7% may be averted. We show that programmes that overwhelm laboratory capacity or reduce isolation of those with minor symptoms have increased transmission compared with those that do not: programmes need to be designed to avoid these issues, or they will be ineffective or even counter-productive. Our model allows optimal selection of whom to test, quantifies the balance between accuracy and timeliness, and quantifies potential impacts of behavioural interventions. We anticipate our model can be used to understand optimal screening strategies for other infectious diseases with substantially different dynamics.

Amblyopia screening effectiveness at 3–4 years old: a cohort study

ObjectiveTo study the effectiveness of amblyopia screening at ages 3–4.Methods and AnalysisFrom a population with no previous screening, a cohort of 2300 children with 3–4 years old attending school (91% of children this age attend school in Portugal), were submitted to a complete ophthalmological evaluation. Amblyopia was diagnosed, treated and followed. Amblyopia prevalence, treatment effectiveness, absolute risk reduction (ARR), number needed to screen (NNS) and relative risk reduction (RRR) were estimated.ResultsPast/present history of amblyopia was higher than 3.1%–4.2%, depending on amblyopia definition normatives. Screening at age 3–4, had estimated ARR=2.09% (95% CI 1.50% to 2.68%) with a reduced risk of amblyopia in adulthood of 87% (RRR). NNS was 47.8 (95% CI 37.3 to 66.7). Treatment effectiveness of new diagnosis was 88% (83% if we include children already followed). 91% of new amblyopia diagnoses were refractive (of which 100% surpassed amblyopia Multi-Ethnic Pediatric Eye Disease Study criteria after treatment), while most strabismic amblyopias were already treated or undertreatment. Only 30% of children with refractive amblyopia risk factors that were not followed by an ophthalmologist, ended up having amblyopia at age 3–4. Eye patch was needed equally in new-diagnosis versus treated-earlier refractive amblyopia.ConclusionsScreening amblyopia in a whole-population setting at age 3–4 is highly effective. For each 48 children screened at age 3–4, one amblyopia is estimated to be prevented in the future (NNS). Screening earlier may lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatments: Treating all new diagnosis before age 3–4 would have a maximal difference in ARR of 0.3%, with the possible burden of as much as 70% children being unnecessary treated before age 3–4.Involving primary care, with policies for timely referral of suspicious/high-risk preverbal children, plus whole screening at age 3–4 seems a rational/effective way of controlling amblyopia.

Advanced Breast Cancer Definitions by Staging System Examined in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium

Background Advanced breast cancer is an outcome used to evaluate screening effectiveness. The advanced cancer definition resulting in the best discrimination of breast cancer death has not been studied in a breast imaging population. Methods A total of 52 496 women aged 40-79 years participating in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium diagnosed with invasive cancer were staged using the 8th edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) anatomic and prognostic pathologic systems and Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST) tumor categories. We calculated the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting 5-year breast cancer death and the sensitivity and specificity for predicting 5-year breast cancer death for 3 advanced cancer classifications: anatomic stage IIB or higher, prognostic pathologic stage IIA or higher, and TMIST advanced cancer. Results The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves for predicting 5-year breast cancer death for AJCC anatomic stage, AJCC prognostic pathologic stage, and TMIST tumor categories were 0.826 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.817 to 0.835), 0.856 (95% CI = 0.846 to 0.866), and 0.789 (95% CI = 0.780 to 0.797), respectively. AJCC prognostic pathologic stage had statistically significantly better discrimination than AJCC anatomic stage (difference = 0.030, bootstrap 95% CI = 0.024 to 0.037) and TMIST tumor categories (difference = 0.067, bootstrap 95% CI = 0.059 to 0.075). The sensitivity and specificity for predicting 5-year breast cancer death for AJCC anatomic stage IIB or higher, AJCC prognostic pathologic stage IIA or higher, and TMIST advanced cancer were 72.6%, 76.7%, and 96.1%; and 78.9%, 81.6%, and 41.1%, respectively. Conclusions Defining advanced cancer as AJCC prognostic pathologic stage IIA or higher most accurately predicts breast cancer death. Use of this definition by investigators will facilitate comparing breast cancer screening effectiveness studies.

Hepatitis C Among High-Risk Alabamians: Disease Burden and Screening Effectiveness

Background The effectiveness of hepatitis C testing and linkage-to-care (LTC) is poorly characterized in low-resource jurisdictions facing gaps in harm reduction, including illegality of syringe exchange services. Effectiveness of a community-based test/LTC program was evaluated in Alabama. Methods In 2016–2018, shelters, drug treatment centers (DTCs), AIDS organizations, and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) engaged in screening/LTC. A coordinator navigated individuals to confirm viremia and link to substance use treatment or primary care with hepatitis C prescribers. Results Point-of-care (POC) tested 4293 individuals (10% [427] antibody-positive, 71% [299/419] RNA performed, 80% [241/299] viremia confirmed) and 93% linked to care (225/241). Electronic medical record (EMR)-based reflex strategy screened 4654 (15% [679] antibody positive, 99% [670/679] RNA performed, 64% [433/679] viremia confirmed) and 85% linked to care (368/433). We observed higher odds of RNA confirmation in EMR-based reflex versus POC (OR, 2.07; P < .0001) and higher odds of LTC in EMR-based reflex versus POC (OR, 1.51; P < .0001). Overall, 53% individuals tested were nonbaby boomers. Conclusions In Alabama, screening at high-risk settings identified significant hepatitis C burden and reflex testing outperformed point-of-care linkage indicators. Colocating testing in DTCs and treatment in FQHCs provided key LTC venues to at-risk younger groups.