Cervical Cancer Control
April 2012 marks the beginning of the Partnership’s second five-year mandate and the next phase of implementing Canada’s national cancer strategy. The priorities and initiatives for the next five years are outlined in our 2012-2017 strategic plan, Sustaining Action Toward a Shared Vision. Our website will soon be updated to reflect the activities supporting the strategic plan. The information below reflects the priorities and accomplishments of our work between 2007 and 2012.
Fostering an integrated approach to screening
Despite the success of cervical cancer screening programs and strategies, an estimated 1,300 Canadians will be diagnosed with cervical cancer this year and 370 will die from it.1
The cervical cancer screening landscape is changing with the availability of a vaccination against human papillomavirus, the virus that can lead to cervical cancer. Vaccination will result in a growing number of young women with increased — though not complete — protection against cervical cancer. There are also new tests to detect early signs of the disease. With these important changes, new opportunities and methods for cervical cancer control are being addressed across the country.
The Pan-Canadian Cervical Cancer Screening Initiative (PCCSI) is a Partnership-supported national network working to maximize cervical cancer control. Assembled in June 2009 to optimize participation in, and the impact of, cervical screening programs, the PCCSI serves as a national forum for provinces and territories to share experiences and review new evidence and technologies. It also provides an opportunity to discuss and take collaborative action on matters relating to cervical cancer screening, prevention and treatment. Members include key stakeholders from provinces and territories and government agencies working in chronic and infectious disease prevention and control.
Progress to date
- Ongoing initiatives are being led through the PCCSI to increase participation in and required follow-up for cervical cancer screening.
- The PCCSI is working with the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care to revise national guidelines to reflect current evidence, helping to promote compliance across the country. At the same time, provinces and territories are working to revise and implement new cervical screening guidelines within their jurisdictions.
- For the first time, a set of national quality indicators was used to report on provincial and territorial cervical cancer screening programs and strategies across Canada, demonstrating a widespread commitment to quality improvement. These indicators are widely accepted, high-level measures for assessing quality.
1Canadian Cancer Society Steering Committee on Cancer Statistics. Canadian Cancer Statistics 2011. Toronto, ON: Canadian Cancer Society; 2011.
