Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of the Master of Technology : Radiography, Durban University of Technology, 2014. / Research Aims The purpose of this study is to compare 2D HDR Brachytherapy planning and 3D HDR Brachytherapy planning in terms of dose distribution in order to accurately determine bladder and rectal doses. Further research questions were explored to determine whether relationships existed between Computer Tomography volumes and bladder and rectum dose. Methodology The 30 female patients that volunteered for the study were conveniently selected. Their age and ethnic group did not contribute to their selection. All participants were prepared for cervical HDR Brachytherapy. The Brachytherapy templates were computer generated and treatments were given based on the templates. They then had a Computer Tomography (CT) scan (3D data set) of the pelvis. The computer generated templates for 2D Brachytherapy planning were applied to the CT data set i.e. 2DBP. The plans were optimised to take into consideration the dose to the bladder and the rectum i.e. 3DBP. The 2DBP and the 3DBP were then evaluated in order to determine which method of planning yielded more acceptable dose distributions to the bladder and rectum. Results Significant differences in dose distribution were noted on comparison of 2DBP and 3DBP. A significant relationship was noted in respect of bladder mean dose and rectum mean dose. 3DBP proved to be more efficient in yielding lower mean dose to the bladder and the rectum. Whilst a significant relationship was noted in respect of bladder maximum dose, an insignificant relationship was noted for rectum maximum dose. Therefore, the efficiency of 3DBP to yield lower bladder maximum dose was established but its efficiency to yield lower rectum maximum dose is questionable. This has implications for the management of patients’ with cervical cancer who require cervical Brachytherapy. Recommendations It is imperative that imaging modalities be used for the accurate planning of cervical Brachytherapy. This study recommends that CT be used for HDR Brachytherapy planning by proving its greater efficiency compared to template planning.

En utilisant une technique originale de détection et de quantification des HPV16 et 18 par PCR duplex, ce travail de thèse illustre la signification, l’intérêt et les limites de l’utilisation clinique de la mesure de la charge virale pour ces deux types d’hrHPV. Si nous n’avons pas démontré de réelle signification de la charge virale en HPV18, il n’en est pas de même pour l’HPV16 dont la charge virale augmente avec la sévérité des lésions constatées. Néanmoins, l’extrême variabilité des charges virales mesurées limite son utilisation en pratique clinique. Après un frottis cervico-utérin (FCU) anormal, une charge virale seuil en HPV16 à 3,0x106 copies par millions de cellules permet la prédiction optimale de la présence d’une CIN2+ (spécificité : 91 % et sensibilité : 58,2 %). Cette valeur seuil est particulièrement performante pour les patientes ayant un FCU de bas grade (spécificité : 96,4 % et sensibilité : 88 %). Si la charge virale en HPV16 et 18 ne semble pas être prédictive de la clairance virale chez les jeunes femmes de moins de 30 ans ayant un FCU normal, elle l’est chez les patientes HPV16 positives ayant une colposcopie normale malgré un FCU équivoque ou de bas grade (spécificité : 86,7 % et sensibilité : 85,7 %). / Using duplex PCR technique for the detection and quantification of HPV16 and 18, this work investigates the significance, value and limitations of the use of HPV16 and 18 viral load quantitation in routine clinical practice. Although HPV18 viral load was not found to be of any clinical relevance, HPV16 viral load was found to significantly increase with the severity of cervical lesions. However, the wide range of viral load observed strongly limitates its use in routine clinical practice. After an abnormal cervical cytology, a HPV16 viral load cut-off of 3.0x106 copies per million cells allows for the best prediction of CIN2+ (91% specificity and 58.2% sensitivity). Such cut-off is particularly efficient in case of low grade abnormal cytology (96.4% specificity and 88% sensitivity). Although HPV16 viral load does not appear to predict for HPV16 clearance in women under 30 with normal cytology, such prediction was observed among women with normal colposcopy following equivocal or low grade cytology (86.7% specificity and 85.7% sensitivity).

Made available in DSpace on 2011-11-09T14:45:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1648 bytes, checksum: e095249ac7cacefbfe39684dfe45e706 (MD5) 000238.pdf: 759139 bytes, checksum: d93f97e93a35ffbd923409758cca2b7b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Fernandes Figueira. Departamento de Ensino. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde da Criança e da Mulher. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / A citologia convencional apresenta importantes limitações em relação a sua sensibilidade e cobertura populacional, o que limita a maior redução das taxas de mortalidade por câncer de colo do útero. Por estas razões, métodos diagnósticos moleculares como a Captura Híbrida têm sido apontados como possíveis substitutos ou complementos do rastreio primário do câncer cervical. O objetivo desse estudo foi investigar a adesão de uma população feminina, residente da comunidade do Morro dos Macacos, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, ao método da autocoleta da Captura Híbrida em comparação ao método da citologia oncótica cervical. Realizamos um ensaio clínico controlado randomizado no qual mulheres recrutadas através de visitas domiciliares foram aleatoriamente alocadas para autocoleta da CH (51%) ou para realização da citologia (49%). Nossa amostra foi constituída por 100 mulheres e verificamos que a adesão entre as pacientes que receberam o kit da autocoleta da CH foi significativamente maior do que a adesão entre as pacientes convidadas para realizar a citologia (68,6% e 32,7% respectivamente; p < 0,001). Os dados aqui apresentados apontam a autocoleta da CH como uma possibilidade de atingir mulheres resistentes ou que têm dificuldade de acesso aos programas de rastreio do câncer do colo do útero baseados na citologia. / The Pap smears has major limitations on its sensitivity and coverage, which limits the greatest reduction in mortality rates of cervical cancer. For these reasons, molecular diagnostic methods such as Hybrid Capture have been mentioned as possible substitutes or additions of primary screening of cervical cancer. The aim of the present investigation was to examine the adhesion of a female population, living in the community of the Morro dos Macacos, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, for self-collection of specimens for Hybrid Capture compared to the Pap smear. We performed a randomized controlled clinical trial in which women were recruited through home visits and randomly allocated to self-collection samples (51%) or for the Pap smear (49%). A hundred women participated and the adhesion between the patients who were allocated to self-collection was significantly higher than among patients invited to be submitted Pap smear (68.8% and 32.7% respectively; p < 0.001). Our findings suggest the self-collection of specimens for Hybrid Capture can be an opportunity to reach women who are resistant or have difficulty of access to cervical cancer prevention programs based on cytology.

O objetivo deste estudo é o de conhecer e analisar a atenção em saúde de mulheres trabalhadoras com câncer do colo do útero avançado em tratamento no Hospital do Câncer II, no município do Rio de Janeiro. O estudo voltou-se para decifrar os diferentes momentos das trajetórias de vida e de trabalho dessas mulheres e relacioná-los com a procura dos serviços de saúde, estabelecendo relações com o acesso e a atenção à saúde. Constitui-se em um estudo exploratório, de natureza qualitativa, assentado em entrevistas e revisão teórico-bibliográfica. O aprofundamento teórico-empírico acerca deste tema buscou problematizar um objeto de estudo essencialmente relevante para o universo feminino, tendo em vista as altas taxas de incidência e mortalidade deste tipo de câncer no Brasil e no mundo sendo considerado, portanto, um problema de Saúde Pública. Os resultados apontam que o desconhecimento sobre o HPV e sobre a importância da realização do exame preventivo ainda é significativo entre as mulheres entrevistadas, o que aponta para a necessidade em priorizar o acesso à informação e a educação em saúde para o alcance de avanços no diagnóstico precoce. Também foram identificados como obstáculos na atenção em saúde, a sobrecarga de afazeres no cotidiano das mulheres, tendo em vista suas condições de vida e de trabalho e as dificuldades no acesso aos serviços de saúde. / The aim of this study is to understand and analyze the health care of working women with advanced cancer of the cervix in treatment at the Hospital of Cancer II, in Rio de Janeiro city. The study turned to decipher the different moments of life and work courses of these women and relate them with the search for health services, establishing connections between the access to health care and the attention given to it. It constitutes an exploratory study, of qualitative nature, grounded in interviews and theoretical-bibliographic review. The theoretical and empirical development about this theme sought to problematize an object of study relevant to the essentially feminine universe, in view of the high incidence and mortality rates of this type of cancer in Brazil and in the world being therefore, a public health problem. The results indicate that the lack of knowledge about HPV and the importance of completing the screening test is still significant among interviewed women, pointing to the need to prioritize access to information and health education for achieving advances in early diagnosis. The overcharge of women daily chores, considering their life and work conditions and the difficulties in accessing health services, also have been identified as barriers in health care.

O objetivo deste estudo é o de conhecer e analisar a atenção em saúde de mulheres trabalhadoras com câncer do colo do útero avançado em tratamento no Hospital do Câncer II, no município do Rio de Janeiro. O estudo voltou-se para decifrar os diferentes momentos das trajetórias de vida e de trabalho dessas mulheres e relacioná-los com a procura dos serviços de saúde, estabelecendo relações com o acesso e a atenção à saúde. Constitui-se em um estudo exploratório, de natureza qualitativa, assentado em entrevistas e revisão teórico-bibliográfica. O aprofundamento teórico-empírico acerca deste tema buscou problematizar um objeto de estudo essencialmente relevante para o universo feminino, tendo em vista as altas taxas de incidência e mortalidade deste tipo de câncer no Brasil e no mundo sendo considerado, portanto, um problema de Saúde Pública. Os resultados apontam que o desconhecimento sobre o HPV e sobre a importância da realização do exame preventivo ainda é significativo entre as mulheres entrevistadas, o que aponta para a necessidade em priorizar o acesso à informação e a educação em saúde para o alcance de avanços no diagnóstico precoce. Também foram identificados como obstáculos na atenção em saúde, a sobrecarga de afazeres no cotidiano das mulheres, tendo em vista suas condições de vida e de trabalho e as dificuldades no acesso aos serviços de saúde. / The aim of this study is to understand and analyze the health care of working women with advanced cancer of the cervix in treatment at the Hospital of Cancer II, in Rio de Janeiro city. The study turned to decipher the different moments of life and work courses of these women and relate them with the search for health services, establishing connections between the access to health care and the attention given to it. It constitutes an exploratory study, of qualitative nature, grounded in interviews and theoretical-bibliographic review. The theoretical and empirical development about this theme sought to problematize an object of study relevant to the essentially feminine universe, in view of the high incidence and mortality rates of this type of cancer in Brazil and in the world being therefore, a public health problem. The results indicate that the lack of knowledge about HPV and the importance of completing the screening test is still significant among interviewed women, pointing to the need to prioritize access to information and health education for achieving advances in early diagnosis. The overcharge of women daily chores, considering their life and work conditions and the difficulties in accessing health services, also have been identified as barriers in health care.

Made available in DSpace on 2011-05-04T12:36:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009 / O desenvolvimento de vacina contra o Papilomavirus humano (HPV), que se apresenta revolucionária, pelo potencial de prevenção primária do câncer de colo uterino tem suscitado polêmica quanto à incorporação em programas de saúde pública. As evidências de eficácia da vacina se limitam a lesões invasivas pelos principais genótipos doHPV e a vacina tem custo muito mais alto do que outras vacinas do calendário vacinal do Programa Nacional de Imunização do SUS. Este trabalho analisa as possibilidades de utilização da vacina contra o HPV, considerando a efetividade do Programa de Rastreamento do Câncer de Colo Uterino do Brasil e a eficácia da vacina contra o HPV registrada. O estudo foi realizado a partir de revisão das evidências obtidas de dados empíricos, e disponíveis em relatórios, publicações e páginas eletrônicas. A vacina apresentou resultados muito favoráveis para a eficácia e segurança, porém com lacunas importantes no conhecimento sobre seu efeito a longo prazo e correlato sorológico de proteção. Os dados indicam que o programa de prevenção do câncer de colo do Brasil tem baixa efetividade, com grande heterogeneidade de cobertura e qualidade. Foi observada também uma variação muito grande com relação à acurácia do Papanicolaou, com implicações no desempenho do programa. Considerando que o controle de câncer de colo uterino continuará dependendo de rastreamento com o Papanicolaou, e que a efetividade do programa em outras partes do mundo permitiu reduzir a mortalidade, parece mais indicado concentrar esforços e recursos na melhoria do programa de rastreamento e aguardar os resultados de médio prazo da vacinação. / The development of a vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV), which presents itself revolutionary due to its potential for primary prevention of cervical cancer, has raised controversy over the incorporation into public health programs. Evidence of effectiveness of the vaccine are limited to invasive lesions of the major genotypes of HPV and the vaccine cost is much higher than other vaccines in the immunization calendar of the National Program on Immunization of the Unified Health System (SUS). This study analyzes the potential use of the vaccine against HPV, considering the effectiveness of the Program for Cervical Cancer Control in Brazil and the efficacy of the vaccine against HPV registered. The study was carried out from reviewing the evidence obtained from empirical data, and available in reports, publications and websites. The vaccine showed very favorable safety and efficacy results, but with important gaps in knowledge about their effect in the long term and serological correlate of protection. The data indicate that the program for the prevention of cervical cancer in Brazil has low effectiveness, with great diversity of coverage and quality. There was also a very large variation with respect to the accuracy of Papanicolaou, with implications for the performance of the program. Considering that the control of cervical cancer will continue depending on the Papanicolaou screening, and that the effectiveness of the program in other parts of the world has reduced mortality, it seems more appropriate to concentrate efforts and resources in improving the tracking program and wait for the results medium-term vaccination.