Cervical Cancer in Sri Lanka.

Abstract

Sri Lanka is an island nation in SouthAsia,with a population of 22 million people. Nearly 32,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year with an age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) of 126.9 per 100,000 population.1 Cervical cancer is now the fourth commonest cancer among females behind breast, thyroid, and colorectal cancer.1 Its ASRwhich currently stands at 8.3 per 100,000 population has remained relatively stable over the past two decades, although incidence of other cancers has seen a steady rise during this period.1 Sri Lanka’s health system comprises a public funded state health sector which is free at the point of delivery, functioning alongside private health care.2 The preventive care system which provides vaccination and cancer screening is delivered by medical officer of health (MOH) units of the Ministry of Health, separated in geographic subdivisions that each caters to a population of around 60,000 to 100,000 people.3 Curative cancer treatment is provided by 26 cancer units in tertiary care hospitals established throughout the country.2 Sri Lanka adopted a clinical oncology model comprising both medical and radiation oncology in the training of oncologists.2 Postgraduate training in clinical oncology is delivered by the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine of the University of Colombo and spans 5 to 6 years including an overseas fellowship of 1 to 2 years in a center of excellence.2