Open AccessCERVICAL CANCER. MASS SCREENING, INCIDENCE AND MORTALITY IN FINLAND
Author(s) -
Timonen S.,
Pyörälä T.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016347709156461
Subject(s) - cervical cancer , medicine , demography , incidence (geometry) , population , age groups , cancer , gerontology , gynecology , environmental health , physics , sociology , optics
. Since mass screenings were started in Finland, the incidence of cervical cancer has dropped by about 50 per cent. In the age groups 25‐60 the decrease has been two thirds. Moreover, there has been a similar decrease in mortality in the younger age groups, in particular. All risk groups are not covered by the screening program, however. Cervical carcinoma is still a socio‐medical and clinical problem particularly among elderly women. Mass screening was started in Finland in the beginning of the 1960s (6, 7, 8, 9). The task of organizing the activities was delegated to the Finnish Cancer Association. Mainly on the initiative of their female members, the responsible communal political organs granted the money required for carrying out mass screening. By the end of the 1960s, all Finnish communes had joined the mass screening project as a result of campaigns arranged by the Cancer Association (Fig. 1). The communal authorities were informed about the importance of regularly examining all risk groups of women starting from the age at which the risk is rising up to the age of 60. For both political and other reasons it was decided first to screen the female population of working age. In part, this policy was adopted because screening of these age groups could be expected to yield demonstrable results most rapidly. Were the same sums distributed over all age groups of women, as might have seemed more just from a humanitarian viewpoint, an equally conspicuous effect could not be achieved. The communes started their activities in various ways, depending on their possibilities of realizing the project. As appears from Fig. 1, in most places only women aged 30‐, 35‐, 40‐, 45‐, 50‐ and 55‐ were screened. The five‐year interval was a compromise, and not a bad one, as seen later. Only in a few towns were larger sums reserved for screening of the total female population. This was the case for instance in Turku (3). The results have been annually collected and transferred to magnetic tape by the Central Office of the Finnish Cancer Registry (5). During the first few years the costs amounted to 15 Fmk per case. Today, the price is 22 Fmk per case (about 5.7$), including postage for the invitation to attend examination mailed on the basis of the population registry. This low level of costs is a result of rationalization. The rate of participation has been between 75 and 97 per cent.