IJZ report: Screenings detected 38 cancers

Screening for cervical, breast and colon cancer detected 38 cases of cancer last year.

This is shown by the annual reports of the Institute of Public Health (IJZ) on the implementation of the screening program.

According to breast cancer screening data, 24 cases of cancer were detected last year. The target group for this screening included 29.692 women, and 9.376 were successfully contacted and invited for examination. Breast cancer screening was conducted among women aged 50 to 69, from the territories of Podgorica, Danilovgrad, Cetinje and Kolašin, and the main screening method is mammography at the Clinical Center of Montenegro (KCCG).

"8.675 women responded (92,52 percent of those invited), and 5.339 (56,94 percent of those invited) women underwent mammography. An average of five breast cancers were detected per 1.000 women screened. As part of the screening program, 33 biopsies were performed, revealing 24 cases of breast cancer," concludes the report by author Ivan Samardžić, an epidemiology specialist.

The report claims that the reduced response rate among women is influenced by problems such as insufficient organization, shortcomings in screening methods, poor information, low educational and socioeconomic levels, and cultural and religious factors - obstacles that are also present globally.

"Improving the organization and involvement of primary health care, with adequate political support and financing, can significantly increase the participation rate in the screening program. There is a constant need to raise awareness about the importance of preventive examinations. More intensive education and a media campaign can contribute to breaking down prejudices and reducing fear of examinations," the report states.

Colon cancer detected in 13 people

The target group for colon cancer screening last year consisted of 80.598 people, aged 50 to 74. 19.767 people were invited to participate in the screening, which makes up 24,53 percent of the total target population.

According to the recommendations of the European Guide, the desired call rate at a two-year level is 95 percent or more, and the report states that it is clear that the dynamics of calling participants from teams of selected health center doctors was not at a satisfactory level to meet the condition for achieving the desired call rate during this period.

The authors state that high call rates, above 45 percent for the year, were achieved by the health centers in Podgorica and Kolašin, which are good examples of dedication, organization, and responsibility in their work.

Almost 16.000 people responded to the invitation to participate in the screening, or about 80 percent of the total number of people invited, which is above the desirable value of at least 65 percent. This response was achieved in 15 out of 20 health centers and indicates the dedication and quality of the teams of doctors selected for the screening, the report claims.

“The high response rate indicates a strong interest among citizens in participating in screening, while 15 out of 20 health centers are achieving exceptional results in engaging the target population. However, there is room for further improvement in terms of invitations, which would allow for increased coverage and further improve the success of the program,” the report shows.

According to the IJZ, during 423 colonoscopies, 84 samples were sent for pathohistological analysis, and in 65 percent of the samples sent, premalignant changes were proven. 13 cases of cancer were detected (in 15,5 percent of cases).

Shortcomings of cervical cancer screening

The target population for cervical cancer screening was women aged 30 to 50 from the entire territory of Montenegro, of whom there were 87.507, and 13.827 were invited last year.

Of that number of women, 11.130 responded, while 9.626 women were tested for human papillomavirus, the main cause of cervical cancer. The report shows that about 13 percent of women had a positive result. The report shows that 80 biopsies were performed, and 57 samples were analyzed at the KCCG, among which one cancer was detected, and 38 cases of dysplasia.

The report states that the highest response rate for screening was registered in the health centers of Nikšić and Herceg Novi, which indicates that the teams of selected gynecologists motivated significantly more women than the Montenegrin average to participate in the screening program.

The Public Health Institute claims that the main obstacles to implementing cervical cancer screening are the lack of or outdated phone numbers in women's health records, lack of staff and insufficient motivation to work within the framework of an organized screening program, an insufficient number of colposcopies and biopsies in health centers, variable quality of samples taken, lack of training and practice for examinations and testing, non-compliance with protocols and guidelines, and deficiencies in the information system.

The authors propose a series of measures to improve screening, including the introduction of a centralized call center for the purpose of inviting and motivating women to respond to the screening program.