Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29797691›Full record

SynthesisCancer cytopathology2018

Strategies for screening and early detection of anal cancers: A narrative and systematic review and meta-analysis of cytology, HPV testing, and other biomarkers.

Megan A Clarke, Nicolas Wentzensen

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Cancer cytopathology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 50 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
50citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
9.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

50 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 103 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Prognostic impact of anal cancer morphology on survival and local recurrence: A 20-year regional cohort study.Colorectal disease : the official journal of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland · 2026
    Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Anal neoplasm in colonoscopy: What endoscopists need to know.World journal of gastrointestinal endoscopy · 2025
    Article
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Megan A ClarkeDivision of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.
Nicolas WentzensenDivision of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.ORCID 0000-0003-1251-0836
National Cancer Institute · US

Funding

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical and anal cancersZIACP010124 · NCI · DIVISION OF CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY AND GENETICS · PI WENTZENSEN, NICOLAS · 2009 to 2025
$17.3M
Intramural NIH HHS ZIA CP010124
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Anal cancer incidence and mortality have been increasing over the past decade. Although the incidence in the general population remains low, it is much higher in certain subgroups, including those living with human immunodeficiency virus and men who have sex with men. Approximately 90% of anal squamous cell cancers are caused by infection with carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV). Given the common etiology between anal and cervical carcinogenesis, screening for anal cancer has been proposed in certain high-risk populations using strategies adapted from cervical cancer prevention. In this review, the authors discuss important differences in anal and cervical cancer regarding the populations at risk, disease natural history, and clinical procedures and outcomes that need to be considered when evaluating strategies for anal cancer screening. They also performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the performance of anal cytology, anal HPV testing, and various biomarkers for the detection of anal precancers and cancers. The implications of these performance estimates are summarized in the context of risk-based screening and management of anal precancers, and important research gaps are highlighted that need to be addressed to fully understand the benefits and harms of anal cancer screening. Cancer Cytopathol 2018. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Indexed as

Early Detection of CancerAnus NeoplasmsBiomarkersCarcinoma, Squamous CellCytodiagnosisHumansIncidencePapillomaviridaePapillomavirus InfectionsPrognosisBiomarkersanal cancer screeningbenefitcytologyharmshuman papillomavirus (HPV)risk

Identifiers

PMID29797691
PMCPMC6252169
OpenAlexW2804329024

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.