Search

Objectives: We aim to describe the history of iodine testing of the cervix and identify areas where further work is required.Study Design: We conducted a search of PubMed and Google Scholar. Full article texts were reviewed. Reference lists were screened for additional articles and books. 37 basic articles in journals including ones written in German and three basic articles in books were identified.Results: Glycogen staining of the ectocervical squamous epithelium with iodine goes back to Paul Ehrlich (1854-1915). Walter Schiller (1887-1960) examined nearly 200 different dyes and found that vital staining of the cervical squamous epithelium was best achieved with Lugol's iodine solution, which was indicated by Jean Guillaume Lugol (1786-1851) for disinfection of the vagina. In 1928 W. Lahm observed that the glycogen content of a squamous epithelium cell decreases as anaplasia increases. From the outset, H. Hinselmann included the iodine test in the minimum requirements for colposcopy. In 1946 H. J. Wespi first mentioned the finding of an "uncharacteristic iodine negative area." The first international colposcopic terminology from Graz in 1975 lists the "iodine light area" among the different colposcopy findings. The IFCPC nomenclatures from Rome 1990, Barcelona 2002, and Rio de Janeiro 2011 have evaluated the iodine test and classified their findings differently. A breakthrough to effective cervical cancer screening in resource-limited settings in Africa, India, and Latin America was achieved with R. Sankaranarayanan's publication on naked-eye visual inspection of the cervix after application of Lugol's iodine.Conclusions: This paper is a step toward a better understanding of what we think and do today with iodine testing and what problems and upcoming tasks will arise in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cumulatively, breast, cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancer account for more than 70% of cancers in women in India. Distinct differences in the clinical presentation of women with cancer suggest underlying differences in cancer biology and genetics. The peak age of onset of breast and ovarian cancer appears to be a decade earlier in India (age 45-50 years) than in high-income countries (age >60 years). Understanding these differences through research to develop diagnosis, screening, prevention, and treatment frameworks that ar e specific to the Indian population are critical and essential to improving women's health in India. Since the sequencing of the human genome in 2001, applications of advanced technologies, such as massively parallel sequencing, have transformed the understanding of the genetic and environmental drivers of cancer. How can advanced technologies be harnessed to provide health-care solutions at a scale and to a budget suitable for a country of 1·2 billion people? What research programmes are necessary to answer questions specific to India, and to build capacity for innovative solutions using these technologies? In order to answer these questions, we convened a workshop with key stakeholders to address these issues. In this Series paper, we highlight challenges in tackling the growing cancer burden in India, discuss ongoing genomics research and developments in infrastructure, and suggest key priorities for future research in cancer in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reductions in cancer morbidity and mortality afforded by population-based cancer screening programmes have led many low-income and middle-income countries to consider the implementation of national screening programmes in the public sector. Screening at the population level, when planned and organised, can greatly benefit the population, whilst disorganised screening can increase costs and reduce benefits. The International Cancer Screening Network (ICSN) was created to share lessons, experience, and evidence regarding cancer screening in countries with organised screening programmes. Organised screening programmes provide screening to an identifiable target population and use multidisciplinary delivery teams, coordinated clinical oversight committees, and regular review by a multidisciplinary evaluation board to maximise benefit to the target population. In this Series paper, we report outcomes of the first regional consultation of the ICSN held in Agartala, India (Sept 5-7, 2016), which included discussions from cancer screening programmes from Denmark, the Netherlands, USA, and Bangladesh. We outline six essential elements of population-based cancer screening programmes, and share recommendations from the meeting that policy makers might want to consider before implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]