Hospital-based Validation of the New ELEVATE Screening Tool

ELEVATE is a six-year project, conducted by an international research alliance led by Ghent University, aiming to develop a new test and approach for cervical cancer screening in hard-to-reach populations. In this final stage of the project, a hospital-based validation study is deployed in Belgium and Ecuador to clinically validate the new ELEVATE screening test based on self-samples and endocervical samples. The simultaneous detection of HPV DNA and the proteomic markers allows for the detection of those cervical HPV infections associated with progression towards cervical cancer. At each study site, 100 women between 30-65 years old, with a recent abnormal pap smear result will be recruited in the colposcopy waiting room. After registration and signing the informed consent form, each woman will be asked to fill out a short self-administered questionnaire for socio-demographic information. Each woman will provide a self-sample as well as an endocervical sample before the colposcopy examination. Both samples of all 200 women (i.e. participants from Belgium and Ecuador) will be tested with the new ELEVATE screening test, using 400 ELEVATE cartridges, as well as with standard tests. Besides analyzing all samples on the new ELEVATE screening test, the following standard tests will also be performed on all samples (at Ghent University - including the shipped samples of Ecuador): * AnyplexTM II HPV HR Detection (Segeene Inc., Korea): approved comparison test * ELISA protein detection: only available comparison test In order to generate HPV DNA results locally, that can be communicated to the participants in short time (versus waiting for AnyplexTM II HPV HR Detection test results after shipment to Belgium), in Ecuador the following additional standard test will be performed on the100 endocervical samples (before shipment to Belgium): • HPV DNA Mole Bioscience test Concordance between the test results of the ELEVATE screening test and standard lab tests on both type of samples will be defined, for HPV DNA as well as protein detection. Additionally, the sensitivity and specificity of the HPV DNA test and the protein test of the ELEVATE screening test will be defined, according to clinically relevant outcomes.

Sex

Female

Minimum age

30 Years

Maximum age

65 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* have a previous abnormal pap smear/recent diagnosis of cervical dysplasia (\<4 months) and therefore have a colposcopy appointment, or
* a positive HPV test (\<4 months) and therefore have a colposcopy appointment, and
* able to understand the study materials (questionnaire) and informed consent form

Exclusion Criteria:

* women with heavy bleeding at consultation
* women with known pregnancy at consultation
* women who are undergoing or have completed chemotherapy in the six months prior to the enrollment, or received LEEP, cryotherapy or another treatment in the six months prior to enrollment
* women who do not consent