A research investigation into the micronuclei assay within urothelial cells as an innovative biomarker for the carcinogenesis of cervical cancer conducted at a tertiary care facility

Abstract

Abstract Background: Cervical carcinoma ranks as the fourth most prevalent cancer in women worldwide, following breast, colorectal, and lung cancers. Screening is a crucial secondary prevention strategy, particularly in developing nations such as India, ensuring effective prevention and treatment. This study investigates the micronuclei assay in urothelial cells as a potential biomarker for cervical carcinoma screening, focusing on its correlation with colposcopic and histopathological observations. Materials and Methods: The prospective study was conducted from September 2016 to September 2017 at the Department of Pathology, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Madras Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It involved 108 women who visited the colposcopic clinic. Urine samples were collected from 50 women with normal colposcopic findings and 58 with abnormal colposcopy results. Micronuclei scoring was performed on 1000 epithelial cells from the smears. Additionally, cervical biopsies were conducted for the 58 cases with abnormal colposcopic findings, and the resulting histopathological data were juxtaposed with the findings of the micronuclei assay. Results: The study’s findings demonstrated a sensitivity of 82.76% and a specificity of 90%, with positive predictive values of 90.75% and negative predictive values of 81.82%. Additionally, a statistically significant linear correlation was observed between the micronuclei assay and histopathological diagnosis, with a P value of less than 0.001. Conclusion: Therefore, the micronuclei assay offers a means to detect genotoxicity, monitor cervical carcinogenesis, and identify high-risk groups using simple, reliable, and cost-effective techniques suitable for large-scale screening programs.