According to the World Health Organization, approximately 500,000 cases of cervical cancer are recorded worldwide each year. 1,800 women are diagnosed with this disease each year in Kazakhstan. Among all female cancers, cervical cancer ranks second both internationally and in Kazakhstan. One of the existing problems is the low rate of women returning for follow-up examinations after primary screening. According to the Ministry of Healthcare of Kazakhstan, about 30-40 per cent of female patients do not return for follow-up tests or human papillomavirus (HPV) screening.

Co-testing is a method that combines highly carcinogenic HPV testing and Liquid Oncocytology.

The HPV test helps to detect the human papillomavirus, which is the main cause of cervical cancer in 90% of cases. The PAP test aims to detect cells that can turn cancerous. The combination of these tests, known as Co-testing, allows doctors to detect cancer in incipience more effectively than using the PAP test only.

Why is cervical cancer screening important?

High-grade cellular changes in the cervix can develop into cancer within 3-7 years. This screening allows to detect these changes before they become cancerous. If a woman is found to have low-grade changes, regular testing allows the cells to be monitored, while if high-grade changes are found, treatment is given to remove potentially harmful cells