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Effect of the national screening program on malignancy status of cervical cancer in Northern Thailand

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Public Health

Abstract

Objectives

Cervical cancer has posed a serious problem in Thailand for decades. In 2002, a systematic screening program was implemented under universal healthcare coverage for all Thai women. However, there has been little research on how screening affected particular aspects of cervical cancer, such as stage distribution. This screening program has a target group; therefore, it is necessary to assess stage and incidence trends by age of those within and outside the screening target group.

Methods

Using trend analysis, we assess in situ and malignant cervical cancers in Northern Thailand to measure changes after implementation of the national screening program.

Results

While incidence of malignant cancers is decreasing and incidence of in situ tumors is increasing across all age groups, women above age 60 still experience a high incidence of malignant tumors.

Conclusions

The screening program is successful in the target group at downshifting the stage distribution of malignant tumors and reducing incidence of malignant tumors with in situ cases being captured. However, the high incidence of malignant tumors in women over age 60 will continue to be clinically relevant for cervical cancer management until younger generations undergoing screening enter this age group.

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Acknowledgements

Dr. Sriplung acknowledges the support from the National Research University Fund, Prince of Songkla University (MED580635S). Dr. Virani acknowledges the Fogarty International Center (04R25TW009345).

Funding

This study was funded by the National Research University Fund, Prince of Songkla University (MED580635S) and the Fogarty International Center (04R25TW009345).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand

    Shama Virani, Hutcha Sriplung & Surichai Bilheem

  2. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Shama Virani

  3. Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, 110 Intrawarorose road, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

    Patumrat Sripan & Imjai Chitapanarux

  4. Chiang Mai Cancer Registry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Patumrat Sripan, Puttachart Maneesai, Narate Waisri & Imjai Chitapanarux

  5. Northern Thai Research Group of Radiation Oncology (NTRG-RO), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Patumrat Sripan & Imjai Chitapanarux

Authors
  1. Shama Virani
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  2. Hutcha Sriplung
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  3. Surichai Bilheem
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  6. Narate Waisri
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  7. Imjai Chitapanarux
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Correspondence to Imjai Chitapanarux.

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Virani, S., Sriplung, H., Bilheem, S. et al. Effect of the national screening program on malignancy status of cervical cancer in Northern Thailand. Int J Public Health 63, 377–385 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-018-1077-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-018-1077-7

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