[Cervical cancer after 10 years of nationally coordinated screening]

A cervical cancer screening programme has been operating on a national level since 1995. Women aged 25-69 years who have not had a Pap smear in the previous 3-year period, are recommended by letter to contact a doctor and have a smear taken. The aims of the programme are a more rational use of tests and to decrease the incidence and mortality of the disease.

Trends in incidence and mortality of cervical cancer are studied by data from the national cancer registry, which also collects data on individual smears.

From the period 1990-94 to the period 2000-04 the age-adjusted incidence rate per 1,000, 000 person-years decreased from 127 to 95, the corresponding rate for squamous carcinomas decreased from 102 to 70. The age-adjusted mortality rate decreased from 38 to 25. Number of tests decreased from 542,666 in 1994 to 486 118 in 2004. The proportion of women aged 25-69 years who had a test taken during the last four years, increased from 72.4% in 1995 to 78.3% in 2004.

Implementation of a nationally coordinated cervical cancer screening programme has contributed to a favourable development of the disease (lower incidence and mortality) and a more rational use of tests. Continued efforts are needed to achieve the goals of the programme.