Does screening for cervical cancer affect incidence and mortality trends? The Belgian experience

Age-specific mortality and morbidity for cervical cancer from 1956 to 1985 in Belgium show a slight decline for women aged 35-54, and a constant rate for other age groups. Population screening as done in Belgium between 1965 and 1980 failed to have any impact on these trends, which could be due to poor organization of screening or changing risk factors for cervical cancer in the population.