Title:Cervical cancer screening in the Pacific Island countries: an overview of current management for therapy. 

Author:Shamal S Chand, Atlesh N Sudhakar and Sharita Meharry

Abstract:Cervical cancer is a common form of cancer in women worldwide including the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICT’s). Mortality rates with cervical cancer are high in the PICTs and can be related to a number of factors including lack of available resources and cultural acceptance of screening, which contribute to this high rate. Cervical cancer screening methods have evolved from cell morphology observations to the more specialized techniques of molecular testing. High-risk Human Papilloma Viruis (HPV) genotyping and liquid-based cytology are the most common methods and have been “gold standard” tools used in cervical screening for some time now. However, in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), there is great disparity in the use of such methods. These disparities in testing have seen an increase in cervical cancer morbidity and mortality rates.
Here, we consider the factors necessary to develop a low-cost effective and acceptable cervical cancer screening programme made accessible to all women in the Pacific Islands and thereby decrease the mortality rates and improving outcomes for women in the PICTS.
Keywords: Cervical cancer, Pacific Islands, Human papilloma virus (HPV).
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