This trial aims to evaluate if self-collected anal swabs (SCS) can be used for anal cancer screening. Currently, only clinician-collected anal swabs (CSC) are recommended for anal cancer screening, and this may be a barrier for people to access screening. About 700 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Australia will randomly undergo a SCS followed by a CSC, or the other way around. Swabs will be tested for high-risk human Papillomavirus (HRHPV, which causes most anal cancer) and if the swab is positive for HRHPV, it will also be tested for pre-cancerous cells. The anal swabs will be tested for new biomarkers, "methylation", which might help us predict if precancerous lesions will develop into anal cancer. Everyone will be asked about their preferences for swab collection. If someone tests positive for HRHPV, they will receive further care. We expect that more screening options will result in more people being screened.
This multi-centred, order-randomised, controlled, cross-over clinical trial of self-versus clinician- collected swabs (SCS) and clinician-collected swabs (CCS), enrolling 700 participants across participating clinical trial recruitment sites in Australia. Participants will undertake SCS immediately followed by CCS, or vice versa, in an order-randomised manner with all participants completing both methods of collection. Both anal swabs will be tested for HRHPV, cytology, and methylation. In the cervix, evidence suggests that a second swab taken on the same day may produce an inferior sample for cytology compared with the first swab. For this reason, studies comparing two swabs must control for the order of collection. In this trial, the order of the self-collected and clinician-collected anal swabs will be randomised. Randomisation will be stratified by clinical trial site. Clinicians and participants will be unblinded to allow for swab collection; diagnostic and research laboratory staff, and research investigators who analyse the study outcomes will be blinded to both the order and method of collection for each swab. Enrolment will continue until 700 participants have been randomised at a mixture of metropolitan and regional clinical trial sites. The study duration is 5 years. Participants will be recruited via their regular HIV medical care at participating clinical trial sites. Participants will be either gay or bisexual man (GBM) or trans women living with HIV aged 35 years or older, or all other people living with HIV aged 45 years or older. It is expected that most participants will be GBM, reflecting the Australian HIV epidemic but to ensure diversity, a minimum aggregate of 50 non- GBM living with HIV will be recruited per the inclusion criteria. Participants who are HRHPV negative will exit the trial, unless they have been diagnosed with possible HSIL (pHSIL) or HSIL on cytology. Participants who are tested positive for HRHPV will be referred for high-resolution anoscopy (HRA). Participants who are tested negative for HRHPV but have pHSIL or HSIL diagnosed on cytology will be referred for high-resolution anoscopy (HRA). During the HRA, the anoscopist will take small biopsies of any tissue suspected to have abnormal cells. The biopsy samples will undergo diagnostic histology. Participants who are not diagnosed with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), will exit the trial. Participants who are diagnosed with HSIL but undergo treatment will exit the trial. Participants who are diagnosed with HSIL and do not receive treatment will have a 12-month Follow-up HRA then exit the trial.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SCREENING
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
700
Each participant will be order-randomised to undergo a self-collected or clinician-collected anal swab first, with the alternate swab collected immediately afterwards. Both swab will be collected on the same day at the Baseline Visit.
North Coast Sexual Health and HIV Services, Tweed Valley Sexual Health Clinic
Cudgen, New South Wales, Australia
Taylor Square Private Clinic
Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
Sydney Sexual Health Centre
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Easy Sydney Doctors
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Holdsworth House Medical Practice
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
RPA Sexual Health
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Western Sydney Sexual Health Centre
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Compare the sample validity of self-collected anal swabs with clinician-collected anal swabs, for HRHPV, in the eligible cohort.
To measure the percentage of self-collected anal swabs that are valid for HRHPV testing compared with clinician-collected anal swabs, as defined by internal control positivity.
Time frame: At Baseline.
To evaluate sample quality for cytology of self-collected ana swabs compared with clinician-collected anal swabs, in the eligible cohort.
To measure the proportion of self-collected anal swabs that have satisfactory sample quality for cytology, compared with the proportion of clinician-collected anal swabs that have satisfactory sample quality.
Time frame: At Baseline.
To compare the HRHPV findings of self-collected anal swabs compared with clinician-collected anal swabs, in the eligible cohort.
To measure between self-collected and clinician-collected swabs, the level of agreement between HRHPV testing results.
Time frame: At Baseline.
To compare the HRHPV findings of self-collected anal swabs compared with clinician-collected anal swabs, in the eligible cohort.
To measure between self-collected and clinician-collected swabs, prevalence of any HRHPV.
Time frame: At Baseline.
To compare the HRHPV findings of self-collected anal swabs compared with clinician-collected anal swabs, in the eligible cohort.
To measure between self-collected and clinician-collected swabs, prevalence of HPV16.
Time frame: At Baseline.
To compare the cytology findings of self-collected anal swabs compared with clinician-collected anal swabs, according to the modified Bethesda criteria in the eligible cohort.
To measure between self-collected and clinician-collected swabs according to modified Bethesda criteria, the level of agreement between cytology testing results.
Time frame: At Baseline.
To compare the cytology findings of self-collected anal swabs compared with clinician-collected anal swabs, according to the modified Bethesda criteria in the eligible cohort.
To measure between self-collected and clinician-collected swabs according to modified Bethesda criteria, prevalence of any cytological abnormality.
Time frame: At Baseline.
To compare the cytology findings of self-collected anal swabs compared with clinician-collected anal swabs, according to the modified Bethesda criteria in the eligible cohort.
To measure between self-collected and clinician-collected swabs according to modified Bethesda criteria, prevalence of cytological HSIL.
Time frame: At Baseline.
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.