Test best bet to catch cervical cancer
Reported September 14, 2009
BANGALORE: One of the deadlier forms of cancer, cervical cancer, can be kept at bay by a simple test or pap smear. But in India, which has the highest number of cases, there is little awareness and no intervention in the form of screening.
Globally, cervical cancer kills 3 lakh women a year — 4/5th of cases are in developing countries. A vaccine is now available but not all can afford it.
The reasons for its dangerous trend in India are not far to seek: there is no programme that includes screening and vaccination, unlike in UK and Australia, where it is part of their national health system. Screening has reduced the cancer’s incidence and mortality.