Cervical cancer screening in Poland and worldwide

Abstract

High cervical cancer morbidity remains an unresolved epidemiologic problem in Poland. Prevention programs used in the past years did not lead to significant decrease in cervical cancer mortality and morbidity. Countries that introduced active prevention programs several decades ago achieved significant decrease by up to 80%, in the cervical cancer morbidity. We present in this paper the principles of the screening program introduced in Poland in 2006 and compare it with the screening models applied in the other countries. The special attention is drawn to the age at which screening is commenced and stopped as well as to the screening intervals. Advantages and disadvantages of the PAP smear are discussed in great details. Additionally the potential role of HPV DNA testing is discussed, including the possibility of replacement of cytological tests with HPV testing.