Scientific conference with leading cytologists, representatives of the European Union "Cervical pathology screening - the role of cytology testing"

On Nov. 17, 2015 a scientific conference "Cervical pathology screening - the role of the cytology testing" was held in the the auditorium of the Lviv Oblast State Cancer Treatment and diagnostics centre with the participation of the leading cytologists, the representatives of the European Union as part of the World Bank's subproject "Preventive oncology and the implementation of effective anti-tumour technologies in Lviv oblast" aimed at contributing to the improvement of the morphologic diagnosis of cervical pathology in women from the Lviv oblast. The event was attended by over 100 employees from the medical field in the Lviv oblast, including gynaecologists, oncologists, cytologists and other interested professionals.

 

The main speakers at the conference were Dr. Anneke M.J. van Driel-Kulker Cytologist Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Mieke Bamelis Product Marager EMA Women's Health Cancer Becton Dichmson. A cytologist from the Vinnytsia cancer detection centre, Alla Vasylivna Demchuk, has also shared her experience.

 

During the conference, the experts had the opportunity to get familiarized with statistics on morbidity and cytology screening coverage in two EU countries: the Netherlands and Belgium. In particular, in the Netherlands a state program for population-based screening of cervical pathology is implemented, and the screening coverage is high enough. The level of invasive cancer (cancer detected at later stages) is quite low, but at the same time the costs associated with communication and training of the personnel on sample taking.

 

Its neighboring country Belgium uses opportunistic screening (only in cases when a woman visits a doctor) and spends more costs on the diagnosis of cervical pathology in those women who come for a visit.

 

Lviv experts got familiarized with the advantages of the method of liquid cytology / sensitivity and specificity of the method and received a detailed analysis of the more advanced methods of cervical pathology screening, namely the diagnosis of the HPV and a combination of the cytological and viral testing methods. The method of a fully automated screening is analyzed from the perspective of the implementation and cost.

 

The issue of vaccination against HPV was also addressed; its results over the period of five years in Europe and the impact on the structure of cytological changes in course of screening were analyzed.

 

Systematic approach to screening, high quality of samples, a significant (80%) coverage of screening makes it possible to introduce a 5-year interval between the screening examinations, which is radically different from the national recommendations (screening related steps in Ukraine - three years). Not only does this allow to save costs associated with diagnosis and treatment, but also allows to save women's health.