Cervical Cancer Screening missed and Treatment neglected in low-Income Countries

Reproductive and Maternal Health in the Post-2015 Era: Cervical Cancer Must Be a Priority

Cervical cancer screening and treatment are neglected in low- and middle-income countries
Almost all women with cervical cancer are infected with HPV

In her Essay, Ruby Singhrao and colleagues from the University of California San Francisco, argue that the global health community is neglecting prevention, screening, and treatment for cervical cancer in low- and middle-Income Countries LMICs. They propose four arguments, each one illustrative of a larger framework that has equity and socioeconomic, gender, public health, and health services dimensions:

  • The Burden Falls on Women of Reproductive Age
  • Association with Reproductive Capacity
  • Cancer Prevention Can Be Integrated into HIV, Maternal Health, or Reproductive Health Services
  • HPV Vaccination Can Protect Girls from a Fatal Disease

They conclude that there exists feasible, affordable, and effective prevention options to make dramatic global reductions in cervical cancer incidence a realistic goal in our lifetime.

Read Cervical cancer screening and treatment are neglected in low- and middle-income countries, Medical News Today, 13 Aug 2013

Sources: Reproductive and Maternal Health in the Post-2015 Era: Cervical Cancer Must Be a Priority, PLOS Medicine, 13 Aug 2013

Related post: Cervical Cancer Screening with Vinegar, new Hope to save thousands of Lives Worldwide

Cervical Cancer Screening with Vinegar, new Hope to save thousands of Lives Worldwide

This strategy could prevent 22,000 cervical cancer deaths every year in India and close to 73,000 in resource-poor countries worldwide

Landmark Studies Offer New Hope for Reducing Cervical Cancer Deaths Worldwide
Some vinegar for cervical cancer screening ?

A large, randomized study conducted among 150,000 women in India over a period of 15 years reports that biennial visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), or vinegar, delivered by primary health workers, reduced cervical cancer mortality by nearly one-third (31 percent). Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in many developing countries, where there is little or no access to Pap screening. The researchers estimate this strategy could prevent 22,000 cervical cancer deaths every year in India and close to 73,000 in resource-poor countries worldwide. ”

Read Landmark Studies Offer New Hope for Reducing Cervical Cancer Deaths Worldwide
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), June 2, 2013