Survey shows surge of success in cervical cancer screening
In a letter in the latest edition of the Medical Journal of Australia, Dr Heather S Mitchell reports that cervical screening in Australia is now preventing 70 per cent of cervical cancers - up from just 46 per cent in 1989.
Dr Mitchell is the Medical Director at the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry.
While the theoretical capacity of cervical screening is 90 per cent, Dr Mitchell says an increase of almost 25 per cent in cervical cancer preventions is a remarkable achievement.
"The success can be attributed to the improved participation by women in regular screening, improved standards within laboratories, and better follow-up of cytological abnormalities," Dr Mitchell says.
"While there is still scope for improvement, there is clear evidence of a substantially better gain from cervical screening.
"Continued efforts to increase the participation rate among women aged 60-69 years is appropriate given that the prevented proportion appears to be lower in this age range."
The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association.
CONTACT: Dr Heather Mitchell 03 5424 1012
Judith Tokley, AMA, 0408 824 306