Three years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) called for global eradication of cervical cancer. Now the patient organization The Network Against Gynecological Cancer is launching an eradication project in Sweden. Together with Joakim Dillner, professor of infectious diseases and chair of the National Quality Register for Cervical Cancer Prevention, they address Sweden's politicians with two requirements: "Catchup screening" and "catchup vaccination" - two one-off efforts at the national level.
Catchup screening, a supplementary health check with cell sampling, could reach those women most at risk of cervical cancer, which is estimated to be just over 250,000 women.
- Not many people are terribly concerned, but it would contribute to a significant reduction in cervical cancer cases. It is fully doable, says Joakim Dillner.
"Sweden is unique"These are women with cell changes that have not been followed up properly or women who have not participated in screening, ie cell sampling, which is now proposed to be called screening with HPV analysis, which is not currently offered in all regions.
- Sweden is unique in that we have a fantastic quality register where all information is available about which women are most vulnerable and should be checked. We must use that knowledge, says Barbro Sjölander.
"Catchup vaccination", the second point suggested in a debate article in Dagens Medicin, is a complementary vaccination to stop the spread of HPV virus, which is a prerequisite for getting cervical cancer.
From the age of 23, all women are called for cell sampling and can then be offered HPV vaccination.
- This is to get as fast control as possible on HPV in society. Partly it gives immunity and partly the women who are vaccinated and tested negative for HPV are not screened late, says Joakim Dillner.
During the year, he and the Gynecological Cancer Network will meet with national politicians and the Public Health Authority to raise awareness of the issue.