Cervical Cancer common among Sri Lankan women – Dr. Chithramalee de Silva

One of the major disease burdens among Sri Lankan women happens due to Cervical Cancer and is among the first six causes of prevalence as well as the deaths among the women in Sri Lanka, Maternal and Child Health, Family Health Bureau Director Dr. Chithramalee de Silva said.

She was speaking at a panel discussion organised by Roche Diagnostics in Sri Lanka held in Colombo to share key insights from recent discussions surrounding the elimination of cervical cancer in Sri Lanka on Wednesday (21).

“Cervical cancer remained as the most common cancer among women in Sri Lanka and now it has become the fifth or sixth common cancer. Cervical cancer is most frequently diagnosed in women during their active age of life between the ages of 35 and 44, with the average age being 50. So the loss of a woman who is in this stage of life would badly affect the entire family. Considering that the health authorities have taken a number of measures to enhance early detection facilities as well as proper treatment plans,” she said.

Dr. Chithramali further said that cervical cancer is preventable and curable when detected early and treated effectively. Different screening methods are being used in cervical cancer screening. Around 200,000 women are screened for cervical cancer per year using a pap smear test at the age of 35 and 45. But the World Health Organisation has recommended the HPV DNA test as the most sensitive screening method. But it is too expensive to be implemented as a wider population-based screening programme in Sri Lanka.

Consultant Community Physician and National Programme Manager for the Well Woman Programme Dr. J. Padmaka Silva said that the World Health Organisation has declared a global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer by achieving interim targets by 2030. Sri Lanka being the partner of this global strategy has committed to reach this goal by achieving the interim targets by 2030.

Accordingly, measures have already been taken to fully vaccinate more than 90 percent of girls with the HPV vaccine by 15 years of age and 70 percent of women screened using a high-performance test by 35 years of age and again by 45 years of age and 90 percent of women identified with cervical disease are treated.

Further, communication and social mobilization strategies have been included to increase awareness. Cervical cancer screening strategies have been included for the achievement of 70 percent coverage with a high performance test.

Reviewing and revising existing guidelines, improving knowledge and increasing the accessibility to services on screening and strengthening laboratory capacities as well as healthcare workforce are the prioritized strategies. The improvement of diagnostic services and treatment modalities including radiotherapy and chemotherapy and survivorship with palliative care have been in cooperation to achieve the treatment coverage.

Poor knowledge on cervical cancer, pap testing, HPV and HPV vaccine coupled with stigma, myths and misconceptions on screening and treatment of pre-cancers in the community are being identified as constraints in reaching the expected targets of cervical cancer prevention and care in the country.

Consultant Histopathologist at the National Hospital for Respiratory Disease Dr. Ramani Punchihewa, Dr. Sandeep Sewlikar from Roche Diagnostics also participated in this panel discussion.

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