Chapter 4.7: Opportunities and Constraints for Cancer Screening

VON KARSA L; DEAN P; ARROSSI S; SANKARANARAYANAN R

World Cancer Report 2014

IARC_WHO

Año: 2014; p. 456 - 466

Early detection and treatment of cancer requires accessible, high-quality health services with adequate human, financial, and technical resources. ?Population-based screening programmes of appropriate quality can reduce morbidity and mortality from breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers. Provided evidence-based methods are used that have been tested under local conditions, these programmes can offer a more effective alternative to early symptomatic detection of disease. ?Cervical cancer screening may involve visual inspection of the cervix, cervical sampling for cytology, or testing for human papillomavirus infection. ?Screening tests for colorectal cancer include faecal occult blood testing and faecal immunochemical testing. Flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy are also used. ?Screening with mammography permits detection of early-stage breast cancers. ?To maximize the benefit and minimize harm, screening should be implemented only in organized, population-based programmes with adequate resources for planning and training, identification and invitation of the target population, and quality assurance, including monitoring and evaluation. ?Lack of governmental commitment to provide the requisite sustainable resources can be a serious barrier to successful implementation of cancer screening programmes.