Premisas para la eliminación del cáncer cervicouterino en Cuba

Abstract

Cervical cancer (CCU) is the only type of cancer that can be potentially preventable and eradicable; however, it is one of the most frequent causes of death in women in underdeveloped and developing countries. The introduction of screening programs and/or the improvement of existing ones, added to the preventive measures that the population can adopt, are sufficient evidence that has a positive impact, when trying to stabilize the incidence and mortality curve due to this disease. During the last 30 years it has been shown that sexually transmitted infection by the Human Papillomavirus is a necessary etiological condition to develop cervical and lower genital tract cancer in more than 90% of cases. To this end, the world advocates the implementation of more specific screening tests that stratify the risk of suffering from cancer, such as the HPV detection test, carried out on women at the highest risk age (30 to 50 years) and to incorporate the vaccine in girls under 14 years of age. In Cuba, 56 years ago (1968) the first strategy to control CCU was implemented, with which millions of women have benefited; However, the desired objective of reducing the incidence and mortality from this cause has not yet been achieved. With the optimization of CCU screening through the introduction of the HPV test and the incorporation of the HPV vaccine, together with the organization of the system to guarantee timely diagnosis and treatment, the sustainable development objectives will be met.