FYI - may be of interest
DISSERTATION DEFENSE - Mabel Raza
Monday, June 10, 9:00 a.m.
Computer Science and Engineering Building, Room 303
Title: "A Proof of Concept System for Automated Cervical Cancer Screening
in Peru"
Abstract: Cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer in women
around the world and affects half a million women per year. The World Health
Organization (WHO) estimates that 275,000 women die every year, and 80% to
85% of these deaths occur in low-resource countries in Africa and South
America. In Peru, cervical cancer has the highest incidence and the second
highest mortality rate of cancers among women. Currently, the screening
techniques such as the Papanicolau (Pap) test, in which some cells from the
cervix are examined under a microscope to detect potentially pre-cancerous
and cancerous cells, and the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA), in
which the surface layer of the cervix is examined through visual inspection
after washing it with 3% to 5% acetic acid (vinegar) for one minute, are
part of the national health policy in Peru. The Pap test is mainly used in
urban areas in Peru. However, there are some challenges related to spreading
the Pap test throughout the whole country: lack of quality and
standardization of the readings of Pap smears, shortage of trained
personnel, uneven processing of samples resulting in diagnosis and treatment
delays, and lack of even basic laboratory infrastructure, all of which
impacts greatly the sustainability of this procedure in remote and/or poor
settings.
Extensive research has shown that computational solutions are a viable and
suitable aid for overcoming these barriers. However, the majority of these
solutions are commercial products that are not affordable for developing
countries, such as Peru. In this context, developing a strategy, algorithm
and open source computational implementation that recognizes normal vs.
abnormal Pap smears can ultimately provide a cost-effective alternative for
developing countries. The dissertation-specific objectives are to: 1)
determine the characteristics of normal vs. abnormal Pap smears through
expert consultation and relevant literature, 2) collect data sets and run
preliminary experiments to compare two possible approaches, and 3) assess
the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the proposed cervical cancer
screening approach for classifying normal vs. abnormal Pap smears compared
to experts' review.
Sherri
Sherrilynne Fuller, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biomedical Informatics
School of Medicine and
Department of Health Services (Adj)
School of Public Health and
Information School
Co-Director, Center for Public Health Informatics
University of Washington 35-4985
Seattle, Washington, 98195-4985
206-616-4575
206-491-6380 (Cell)
206-616-5149 (Fax)
[email protected]
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