TY - GEN

T1 - Biospectroscopy investigations Into cervical cytology

AU - Halliwell, Diane Elizabeth

N1 - This dissertation provides evidence that treatment for cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) changes the biochemistry of the cervix. Post-hoc analyses also provided evidence that underlying patient characteristics, such as smoking, parity, COCP use and menstrual phase, influence that biochemistry of cervical cells and contribute to changes in spectra.

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Local treatment for cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) involves the removal of the affected part of the tissue and is >95% effective in preventing re-invasive disease. However, removal of part of the cervix is linked to significant adverse sequelae, including preterm birth; with cone depth and radicality of treatment correlating to the frequency and severity of adverse events. Since pre-treatment cervix length vary amongst women, the percentage of cervix excised may correlate more accurately to risk than absolute dimensions. Attenuated total reflectance, Fourier-transform infra-red (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy detected that treatment for CIN significantly alters the biochemical fingerprint in the cervix, compared with women who have not had treatment; this is due to the excision of cervical tissue rather than a disease controlling effect. However, the spectra did not correlate to the cone depth or proportion of cervical length excised. Post-hoc analyses of patient characteristics found that spectral absorbance was different for treated women according to whether they were current/non-smokers; nulliparous/parous; by luteal/follicular phase; and by combined oral contraceptive pill use; these patient characteristics are likely to have affected the excisional outcomes. As traditional IR techniques are limited by the effect of diffraction of ~3 μm to 30 μm, we assessed the potential of scanning near-field optical microscopy in combination with an IR free electron laser (SNOM-IR-FEL), in determining the biophysical properties of abnormal cervical cells. SNOM-IR-FEL is able to distinguish between normal and various grades of cervical abnormalities at designated wavelengths associated with DNA, amides I and II and lipids, at spatial resolutions below the diffraction limit (≥0.2 μm).

AB - Local treatment for cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) involves the removal of the affected part of the tissue and is >95% effective in preventing re-invasive disease. However, removal of part of the cervix is linked to significant adverse sequelae, including preterm birth; with cone depth and radicality of treatment correlating to the frequency and severity of adverse events. Since pre-treatment cervix length vary amongst women, the percentage of cervix excised may correlate more accurately to risk than absolute dimensions. Attenuated total reflectance, Fourier-transform infra-red (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy detected that treatment for CIN significantly alters the biochemical fingerprint in the cervix, compared with women who have not had treatment; this is due to the excision of cervical tissue rather than a disease controlling effect. However, the spectra did not correlate to the cone depth or proportion of cervical length excised. Post-hoc analyses of patient characteristics found that spectral absorbance was different for treated women according to whether they were current/non-smokers; nulliparous/parous; by luteal/follicular phase; and by combined oral contraceptive pill use; these patient characteristics are likely to have affected the excisional outcomes. As traditional IR techniques are limited by the effect of diffraction of ~3 μm to 30 μm, we assessed the potential of scanning near-field optical microscopy in combination with an IR free electron laser (SNOM-IR-FEL), in determining the biophysical properties of abnormal cervical cells. SNOM-IR-FEL is able to distinguish between normal and various grades of cervical abnormalities at designated wavelengths associated with DNA, amides I and II and lipids, at spatial resolutions below the diffraction limit (≥0.2 μm).

KW - Biospectroscopy

KW - cervical cytology

KW - Cervical cancer

KW - dyskaryosis

KW - ATR-FTIR spectroscopy

KW - PCA-LDA

KW - Multivariate analysis

KW - scanning electron microscopy

KW - infrared spectra

KW - infrared spectroscopy

KW - CIN

KW - PATIENT

KW - free electron laser

KW - Pregnancy

KW - LLETZ

KW - conisation

KW - excision

KW - HPV

KW - treatment

KW - Cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia

KW - cervical screening

KW - large loop excision of the transformation zone

KW - transformation zone

M3 - Master's Thesis

PB - Lancaster University

ER -