MASS-SCREENING FOR CANCER OF THE UTERINE CERVIX IN MIYAGI PREFECTURE,JAPAN - EFFECTS AND PROBLEMS

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of and problems with mass screening and in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. STUDY DESIGN: About 3,570,000 female s who underwent mass screening for cervical cancer between 1962 and 19 94. RESULTS:The screening rate in the female population aged 30 years or older uas 9.5% in 1970, gradually increased and exceeded that rate in 1991 but showed only slight changes thereafter. The standardized de ath rate due to malignant neoplasm of the cervix fell from 12.1 per 10 0,000 in 1961 to 4.0 in 1994. CONCLUSION: There still remain various p roblems, such as lack of a further increase in the screening rate, the fixation of examinees and art increase in the incidence of cervical c ancer in young females.