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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · South Asian J Cancer 2023; 12(01): 001-008
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1764227
Original Article
Cervical Cancer

Cervical Cancer in SAARC Countries

Purvish M. Parikh
1   Department of Clinical Hematology, Mahatma Gandhi University of Health Sciences and Technology, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
,
Sujith Kumar Mullapally 
2   Department of Medical Oncology, Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
,
Sachin Hingmire 
3   Department of Medical Oncology, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India
,
A. F. M. Kamal Uddin 
4   Department of Radiation Oncology, National Institute of ENT, Dhaka, Bangladesh
,
M M. Thinn
5   Department of Gynaecology, Yangon Central Women's Hospital, Yangon, Myanmar
,
Arun Shahi 
6   Department of Medical Oncology, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal
,
Ugyen Tshomo
7   Department of Gynaecology, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan
,
Indu Mohan
8   Department of Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi University of Health Sciences and Technology, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
,
Satinder Kaur 
9   Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, New Delhi, India
,
Nikhil Ghadyalpatil
10   Department of Medical Oncology, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
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Abstract

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Purvish M. Parikh

In the year 2020, a total of 342 000 women were estimated to die of cervical cancer, of which 90%) were expected amongst low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Globally incidence of cervical cancer has reduced as a result of improved personal hygiene, better living conditions and higher application of opportunistic screening programs. Yet GLOBOCAN shows that absolute number of cases are still increasing.

We therefore conducted a 21 question multiple choice questionnaire online survey in Jan 2023 amongst 9 SAARC countries. A total of 367 replies were received and the representative answers for each country are being reported in this manuscript.

A good possibility of achieving World Health Assembly target (Nov 17, 2020) was felt only by Bhutan and Nepal. For screening, most countries (Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) recommend for all asymptomatic eligible patients. Public health experts have suggested VIA / VILI as the best solution for LMICs. However, a dual screening strategy (HPV DNA plus) cytology was preferred by doctors in Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Screening, triage and then treatment was the preferred by Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

HPV vaccination was recommended in all girls between ages 10 to 26 years in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. All the 9 countries would use HPV vaccination to all eligible patients if the cost of the vaccine was reasonably low.

Our survey clearly outlines challenges faced in tackling cervical cancer in SAARC countries. We also provide consensus regarding several potential solutions that can be used in both public and private cervical cancer control programs.

Keywords

HPV - vaccination - screening - LMIC


Publication History

Article published online:
25 February 2023

© 2023. MedIntel Services Pvt Ltd. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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