[Mass screening for cervical cancer. Experiences after 25 years of voluntary screening and 2 years of organized screening].
In 1990 the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Social Services initiated an organised screening programme for cervical cancer, the main goal of which is to reduce the incidence of and mortality from cervical cancer in Norway. All women aged between 25-69 years are offered screening every third year. In the first three years of the programme, all voluntary screening was reported to The Cancer Registry of Norway. This showed that a high number of smear tests were carried out on young women, against a low rate of smear tests on older women. Since January 1995 invitations have been sent to all women aged between 25-69 years, where there is no record of a smear test having been done in the last three years. Results so far show that the number of women who have had a smear test done in the last three years is increasing in the older age groups. A total of 2.6 million smears have been recorded. Approximately 90% of the smears were normal, only 1.7% showing signs of dysplasia. All pathological smears will be followed up with a reminder either from the laboratories or The Cancer Registry.
Thoresen
S O
SO
Institutt for epidemiologisk kreftforskning Montebello, Oslo.
Skare
G B
GB
Sandvin
O
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears