Persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection is the necessary cause of cervical cancer. A small proportion of HPV infections may progress to high-grade cervical lesions or cancer. Genital mycoplasma and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may be associated with HPV persistence and progression. These detections or infections may also reduce the diagnostic accuracy of visual inspection-based screening by increasing local inflammation. In Ethiopia, there is still limited evidence on the association of STIs and genital mycoplasmas with hrHPV, cervical lesions, and visual inspection with acetic acid or Lugol’s iodine (VILI/VILI). This study assessed the prevalence of certain classical STIs and genital mycoplasma, their association with hrHPV infection, cervical lesions, and VIA/VILI outcomes among women undergoing HPV-based cervical cancer screening. Vaginal self-samples from 885 Ethiopian women were tested for 14 hrHPV types, C. trachomatis (CT), N. gonorrhoeae (NG), T. vaginalis (TV), and four genital mycoplasmas using real-time PCR. One hundred and fifty-six women who tested positive for hrHPV underwent VIA/VILI, and 116 women underwent histology examinations. Frequencies and percentages were used to summarize descriptive statistics of categorical variables. The prevalence estimates were provided with 95
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the principal cause of cervical cancer (CC) and an increasingly significant contributor to head and neck cancer (HNC). Although these malignancies arise at different anatomical sites, they share a common viral aetiology, and the molecular alterations associated with HPV across both cancers remain incompletely understood. The present study aimed to identify transcriptional alterations common to HPV-positive CC and HNC using integrated bulk and single-cell transcriptomic analyses. Differential expression analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis were performed on HPV-positive tumours and normal tissues from both cancers to identify shared tumour-associated genes. To distinguish HPV-associated alterations from general tumour-related changes, these genes were further refined by comparison with HPV-positive and HPV-negative tumours in both cancers. The resulting candidate genes were prioritised using a machine learning-based feature selection strategy and subsequently validated in independent transcriptomic cohorts and single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets. A total of 52 shared HPV-associated genes were identified by integrating differential expression and co-expression network analyses, of which six genes (CDKN2A, CDKN2B-AS1, MCM2, KCNS1, EFNB3, and COL28A1) were prioritised by machine learning. The six-gene panel consistently distinguished HPV-positive from HPV-negative tumours in both CC and HNC and showed similar expression patterns in independent validation cohorts as well. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis further demonstrated that these genes were predominantly expressed in epithelial cells, with CDKN2A, CDKN2B-AS1, KCNS1, and MCM2 showing increased expression in HPV-positive samples, whereas EFNB3 and COL28A1 were reduced. These genes are associated with biological processes relevant to tumour progression, including cell-cycle regulation, DNA replication, extracellular matrix organisation and cell–cell communication. Correlation with HPV viral transcript levels revealed modest associations for the identified genes, particularly CDKN2A and MCM2. Shared transcriptional alterations were identified across HPV-associated CC and HNC, providing further insight into the molecular landscape of HPV-driven carcinogenesis. These findings offer a foundation for future studies aimed at understanding HPV-associated tumour biology and identifying potential biomarkers.
To characterize HPV positivity, age-specific distribution, infection patterns, genotype distribution, and annual variations in HPV positivity among women undergoing HPV testing at a hospital in Gaochun District, Nanjing, China, and to provide local baseline data for regional HPV surveillance and cervical cancer prevention and control research. This single-center retrospective cross-sectional study included women who underwent HPV testing at Gaochun People’s Hospital of Nanjing between January 2017 and September 2024. For women with multiple HPV testing records during the study period, only the first test result was retained. HPV positivity, risk-category distribution, infection patterns, and genotype distribution were analyzed by age group. Annual HPV positivity rates were summarized descriptively for 2017–2024. The 95
Microbial markers are increasingly recognized as effective tools for the early detection and management of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, reshaping strategies for diagnosis and treatment. These biomarkers include diverse molecules and bacterial cells, each with distinct roles in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic monitoring. This review consolidates information from studies on colorectal, gastric, esophageal, and pancreatic cancers, highlighting common microbial trends and their importance in clinical settings. Prominent microbial markers like Fusobacterium nucleatum in colorectal cancer, Helicobacter pylori virulence factors in gastric cancer, and oral anaerobic bacteria in esophageal cancer are emphasized as specific biomarkers at different stages. We discuss the diagnostic and prognostic value of microbial biomarkers and their impact on treatment response. By combining microbial information with genomic and clinical factors, microbial biomarkers present non-invasive approaches for cancer prevention and personalized medicine. Finally, we address challenges in biomarker validation and translation, underscoring their potential to transform GI cancer diagnostics and therapy.
