[Counseling protocol for early cancer detection at the Women's Health Center in Ruma]

Women's health care office in Ruma Health Center provides health care for women of Ruma and Irig communities. According to census in 1991, Ruma community has 55.063 inhabitants; 28.266 women out of which 13.149 are of reproductive age. Irig community, has 11.696 inhabitants, 6.072 women and 2.526 are of reproductive age.

According to protocol each woman who consults her gynecologist, is thoroughly examined. The overall examination included the following: anamnesis in regard to risk factors for malignant diseases of female genital organs and breast, speculum examination, cytologic smear, colposcopy, palpatory examination of breast gynecological palpatory examination. On the basis of gathered results, further examinations, if necessary, were carried out: cervical biopsy, endocervical curettage, ultrasound examination, mammography and so on. Two groups of patients were formed on the basis of gathered results--high-risk group and "no-risk" group of patients with no risk from malignant disease. The high-risk group of patients has a separate file and is actively controlled; if necessary this group is called for check-ups at intervals from six months to a year periods. The group of "no-risk" patients is controlled once in a three-year period. FORMING THE HIGH-RISK GROUP: High-risk group in regard to a malignant disease of the cervix is formed on the basis of the following findings: 1. Positive family history (mother, aunt, sister, etc.). 2. Positive personal history (positive sexual factor, early sexual relations, early marriage, more sexual partners, more marriages, bad sexual hygiene, human papilloma virus infection (HPV), herpes simplex virus infection, bad living and social conditions, smoking, intra-uterine and oral contraception, immune suppression, and human immune deficiency virus infection (HIV). 3. Positive clinical findings: chronic cervicitis, condylomas. 4. Positive laboratory findings: positive cytological smear, all atypical colposcopic findings, all histopathological findings of precancerous, high oncogenes groups of HPV. 5. Detected cases of malignant disease of the cervix uleri. Cervical biopsy is performed in each woman with positive cytologic and colposcopic findings. Histopathological findings are done according to Bethesda system. HPV classification according to type is done with LSIL changes, and if a high oncogenes HPV type is obtained, women require conisation of the cervix uteri. With HSIL changes, women require cervix conisation. Invasive forms of cervix uteri malignant disease, require treatment in Oncology Institute. High-risk group for endometrial and breast carcinomas is formed on the basis of positive family and personal history, positive clinical and laboratory findings. High-risk women have separate files (marked with "R") and if necessary they are asked for additional check-up.

In the framework of the Office for early cancer detection the Cancer Registry (2,3) contains the following: personal data, address, date of disease detection, diagnosis and the disease stage, way of treatment, outcome and a questionnaire on risk factors. Morbidity of precancerous and malignant diseases of female genitalia and breast as well as mortality will be monitored in the forthcoming period.

We consider the Protocol of work of the Office for early detection of cancer to be an acceptable and compulsory model for protection of women by existing public health services. 1. Each woman who comes to see her gynecologist for examination, should be systematically examined; the risk of malignant disease and necessary further examinations also must be determined. 2. An accurate file on high-risk group must be kept and women should be actively called to come for check-ups, unless they do it in an appointed period--one year at the latest. 3. Women should be kept informed, through local media, about the importance of overall examinations and risk factors for malignant diseases in women. 4.