title: [Cervical cancer screening: target age bracket, screening frequency and screening method: review of recent evidence and comparison with the Portuguese performance indicator].
abstract: The scope of this review was to assess the strength of evidence of Portuguese performance indicators on Cervical Cancer screening: (1) age group of the women that should be screened for cervical cancer; (2) frequency of screening; and (3) the best method for screening. The following MeSH terms were searched: vaginal smears, age groups, periodicity, methods, uterine cervical cancer. Articles not reflecting the study objectives or not available in English, Portuguese or Spanish were excluded. The SORT classification was used to rate the articles selected.Of the 197 articles found, 9 that met all study criteria were selected for inclusion in this review. These included 1 systematic review, 1 randomized controlled clinical trial, 2 retrospective studies and 5 clinical guidelines. The authors also chose to include 4 clinical guidelines and two systematic reviews relevant to the Portuguese population even though they did not appear in the initial search of the literature. The studies suggest screening women between the ages of 21 to 25 years and 65 years of age, once every three years using conventional cytology. There is still controversy regarding the three objectives of this study (target age bracket, screening frequency and screening method).
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Saúde Familiar Manuel Rocha Peixoto, Braga, Minho, Portugal, bcusf1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bárbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Saúde Familiar Manuel Rocha Peixoto, Braga, Minho, Portugal, bcusf1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Daniela Pinheiro
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Saúde Familiar Manuel Rocha Peixoto, Braga, Minho, Portugal, bcusf1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Escola de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Minho.
authors.forename: Miguel Basto
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Escola de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Minho.
authors.forename: Jaime Correia de
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Escola de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Minho.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yaphe
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011174:Portugal; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*