From January 22 to 28 to mark the Week of raising awareness about cervical cancer. Cancer of the cervix is second in frequency malignancy in women worldwide and in Macedonia. Over 80% of cases of cervical cancer and deaths from this disease were registered in developing countries.
Cervical cancer mostly occurs in women aged 30-45 years. [1]
Risk factors
It is thought that certain types of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is associated with the development of Cervical cancer. Other risk factors include: smoking, poor immunity, in some cases, contraceptive pills, early initiation of sex, changing sex partners, infections ect.
Cervical cancer develops from precancerous lesions over a period of 10-20 years. In 90% of cases, it is a cancer squamous cell, while about 10% is adenocarcinoma.
Signs of illness
At the beginning there are no any symptoms. Later, can appear vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, pain during sexual intercourse and bleeding after sexual intercourse.
Results of screening of cervical cancer in the Republic of Macedonia, 2016
According to program for early detection of cancer, in 2016, was included a target group, women aged 36-45 years and women aged between 24-60 years who throughout 2015 did not do Pap test.
According to data from the Centres for Public Health, in 2016 the program for screening of cervical cancer (gynecological surgeries sent 37,589 invitations for examination to women.
In laboratory were made the total of 36 645 analysis of the Pap test, with the following results:
In 87.4% were obtained normal results, while in 12.6% were detected cell abnormalities.
Screening detected 6 cases of cancer, of which 3 were suspected as Carcinoma planucelulare, two adenocarcinoma-invasive, and 1 case of adenocarcinoma-cervicis
From the total number of pathological lesions, the most presented is CIN 1 (40.4%), HPV (33%) and ASCUS (15.3%).
In terms of the number of women who died from cancer of the cervix in Macedonia for the period 2008-2015,
Table: Number of deaths from cancer of the cervix in Macedonia
| Year | Total deaths |
| 2008 | 43 |
| 2009 | 35 |
| 2010 | 31 |
| 2011 | 15 |
| 2012 | 39 |
| 2013 | 36 |
| 2014 | 42 |
| 2015 | 39 |
Source: State Statistical Office
Prevention
HPV vaccine protects against the occurrence of CC about 90% of cases and is conducted in children aged 12 years (before early start of sexual intercourse). It is recommended making regular controls at the gynecologist for HPV and Pap test, and using protection (condoms) during sex.
