• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7693-7699
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• 2013

Aims: A main reason for increasing incidence of cervical cancer worldwide is the lack of regular cervical cancer screening. Coverage and uptake remain major challenges and it is crucial to determine the perceived susceptibility to cervical cancer, as well as the benefits of, and barriers to, cervical cancer screening among women. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 369 women attending an outpatient centre in Malaysia and data were collected by administering a self-report questionnaire. Results: The majority of the participants (265, 71.8%) showed good level of perception of their susceptibility to cervical cancer. Almost all responded positively to four statements about the perceived benefits of cervical cancer screening (agree, 23.1% or strongly agree, 52.5%), whereas negative responses were received from most of the participants (agree, 29.9%or strongly agree, 14.6 %) about the eleven statements on perceived barriers. Significant associations were observed between age and perceived susceptibility($x^2$=9.030, p=0.029); between employment status (p<0.001) as well as ethnicity and perceived benefits (p<0.05 [P=0.003]); and between education and perceived barriers to cervical cancer screening (p<0.001). Conclusions: Perceived susceptibility, including knowledge levels and personal risk assessment, should be emphasized through education and awareness campaigns to improve uptake of cervical cancer screening in Malaysia.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.15-23
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the Korean women's attitude toward sex in their 20s in order to investigate the relationship between attitude toward sex and preventive behavior against cervical cancer. Method: The data was collected by conducting a survey in parts of Chungcheongbuk provinces from November 1st to the 10th, 2017, with a total of 353 respondents. Frequency analysis, chi-square test and logistic-regression analysis were conducted. Result: A result of logistic-regression analysis, the degree of preventive behavior against cervical cancer of those who were 'conservative' toward sex was 1.866 times greater, significantly. As the attitude toward sex becomes more liberal, the awareness of the necessity for preventive behavior against cervical cancer may possibly become lower. Conclusion: Therefore it is necessary to work in tandem with the school health program to increase preventive behavior against cervical cancer for the women in their 20s through early education and promotion.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.3887-3895
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• 2016

Background: In order to increase breast and cervical cancer screening uptake in Singapore, women's perceived barriers to screening need to be identified and overcome. Using data from both focus groups and surveys, we aimed to assess perceived barriers and motivations for breast and cervical cancer screening. Materials and Methods: We conducted 8 focus groups with 64 women, using thematic analysis to identify overarching themes related to women's attitudes towards screening. Based on recurring themes from focus groups, several hypotheses regarding potential barriers and motivations to screen were generated and tested through a national survey of 801 women aged 25-64. Results: Focus group participants had misconceptions related to screening, believing that the procedures were painful. Cost was an issue, as well as efficacy and fatalism. Conclusions: By identifying barriers to and motivators for screening through a mixed-method design that has both nuance and external validity, this study offers valuable suggestions to policymakers to improve breast and cervical cancer screening uptake in Singapore.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1023-1026
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• 2013

Cervical cancer is the most important female gynecological cancer, the second leading cause of cancer mortality in women worldwide and the second most common cancer in Thai women. The major cause of cervical cancer is persistent infection of human papillomavirus (HPV), leading to abnormal epithelial lesions, with progression to precancerous and invasive cancer. This study was conducted to investigate the frequency and type distribution of HPV in Thai women who had abnormal cytology. HPV detection from FFPE confirmed abnormal of high grade cervical intraepithelial lesions were for SPF-10-Innogenic Line Probe Assay. HPV-positivity was detected in 320/355 cases (90.14%) and HPV-negativity in 35/355 (9.86%). HPV-positive was found 147/320 cases (41.4%) of single infection, whereas 173/320 cases (48.7%) showed the multiple HPV infection. The most common seven types were HPV-16, -52, -18, -11, -51, -31 and -33, in that order. HPV 16 and 18, the important oncogenic HPV type, were observed in 64.8% of HSIL cases. Interestingly, a high proportion of multiple infections was found in this study and more than ten types could be detected in one case. Therefore, HPV infection screening program in women is essential, particularly in Thailand. Effective primary and secondary prevention campaigns that reinforce HPV screening for HPV detection and typing may be decrease the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in the future and may lead to significantly improve the quality of life in Thai women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.4903-4906
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• 2013

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine proportional rates of cervical precancerous lesions and cancer, and associations with socio-demographic variables, HIV status, and CD4 cell count. Materials and Methods: A retrospective comparative study was conducted targeting the medical records of all women over age 18 that were diagnosed histologically through colposcopy with cervical precancerous lesions and cancer from 1 December 2011 to 30 November 2012. Results: A total of 313 patient records were used for data analysis. The average age was 39.1 (SD=2.04) years. More than a third (37.1%) of the patients had CIN III or cervical cancer. There was a significant association between age, CD4 cell count, HIV status, and cervical lesions (p<0.05). Age was found to be an influential predictor of cervical lesions (OR=0.67, 95%CI: 0.46-0.98). Conclusions: There exists an association between age and cervical lesions, with presentation of cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer at a younger age among HIV reactive patients. The National Guidelines should be brought in line with the National HIV Counseling and Testing Policy to offer Pap smears to all sexually active women that test HIV reactive during routine HIV Testing.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.399-411
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• 2019

Background: This study aimed to explore the associations of social-demographic, health-behavioral, and woman-specific factors with the non-screening status of the cervical cancer screening test in Korean adult women. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional analysis of 9,698 Korean adult women aged 20 years or more who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys V (2010-2012). Rao-Scott chi-square tests and survey logistic regression analyses were employed respectively to analyze the difference in the non-screening status of the cervical cancer screening test by each characteristic and to explore the factors related to the non-screening status. Results: The rate of the non-screening status of the cervical cancer screening test was 53.5% over the previous 2 years. In the survey logistics regression analysis, age, marital status, educational levels, income levels, residential area, occupation, private health insurance, smoking, alcohol, obesity, menstrual status, pregnancy experience, and hormone replacement therapy were significantly associated with the non-screening status of the cervical cancer screening test. Conclusion: On the basis of the results of this study, some social-demographic, health-behavioral, and woman-specific characteristics of Korean adult women seem to affect the non-screening status of the cervical cancer screening test. Therefore, appropriate health policies need to be designed, implemented, monitored, and evaluated to reduce the non-screening status of the cervical cancer screening test of them.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3529-3533
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• 2012

Objectives: To investigate the current prevalence and knowledge of cervical cancer, breast cancer and reproductive tract infections (RTIs) in rural Chinese women, and to explore the acceptance and feasibility of implementing a combined screening program in rural China. Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among women aged 30 to 59 years old in Xiangyuan County, Shanxi Province from 2009 to 2010. Socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of cervical cancer, breast cancer and RTIs, and the attitude toward single or combined screening were collected by an interview questionnaire. Each participant received a clinical examination of the cervix, breast and reproductive tract. Examinations included visual inspection, mammography, laboratory tests and pathological diagnosis. Results: A total of 1,530 women were enrolled in this study. The prevalence of cervical precancerous lesions, suspicious breast cancer, suspicious benign breast disease and RTIs was 1.4%, 0.2%, 14.0% and 54.3%, respectively. Cervicitis, trichomonas vaginitis, and bacterial vaginitis were the three most common RTIs among our participants. Television, radio broadcast, and public education during screening were the major source of healthcare knowledge in rural China. Moreover 99.7% of women expressed great interest in participating in a combined screening project. The affordable limit for combined screening project was only 50 RMB for more than half of the rural women. Conclusion: A combined screening program would be more effective and popular than single disease screening projects, while appropriate accompanied education and a co-pay model for its successful implementation need to be explored, especially in low-resource settings.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.8-13
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• 2020

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women, with approximately 528,000 new cases and 266,000 women dying of it per year in the world. MicroRNAs have recently been in the spotlight as potential biomarkers that regulate gene expression and are involved in tumorigenesis. In the present study, we evaluated miR-1260b as a potential biomarker for screening of cervical cancer by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. We profiled the TCGA data of miR-1260b in 307 cervical cancer tissues. Then, miR-1260b expression levels in 10 cervical cancer tissues and 10 noncancerous tissues were investigated in a pilot study. miR-1260b was found to be significantly up-regulated in cervical cancer FFPE tissues as compared to those in cervical normal FFPE tissues (P = 0.006). The mean expression level of miR-1260b in late-stage (IIB-IVB) was higher than in those with early-stage (IA-IIA). Furthermore, high miR-1260b was found to be associated with high hTERT and Ki-67 mRNA expression, which are representative of tumor prognosis. The results of the pilot study suggest that miR-1260b may be used as a novel biomarker for improving the diagnosis of cervical cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5687-5690
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• 2012

Objective: The study was planned with the purpose of examining the attitude of women who have pap-smear test for the early diagnosis of cervical cancer, factors affecting their decisions and their feelings and experiences during this period. Materials and Methods: A phenomenological method was used. Data were collected between March 2012 and April 2012 using standard and purposive samplings from 17 women. A detailed interview with women were held in their houses and recorded. The data collection tool consisted of two parts, one of which is information form with 17 questions identifying sociodemographic and cervical cancer risk factors of women and the second part is made up of semi-structured interview form with 15 alternative questions taking literature and the pap-smear test into consideration. Collected data were put into a written document. Content analysis was held by loading the documents into NVIVO 8 Statistical Programme. Results: The study comprised themes such as cervical risk factor, decision of taking pap-smear test, taking pap-smear test, knowledge about pap-smear test, relieving factors during pap-smear test, obstructive factors during pap-smear test, gynecological examination and feelings of women during and after pap-smear test while waiting for the results. Conclusions: As women perceive gynaecological examinations differently from other examinations, they have different feelings in each process of the Pap smear test. Medical staff should advise women more clearly on the nature and advantages of the Pap-smear test.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.671-676
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• 2014

Objective: The objective of this study was to establish a program model for use in wide-spread cervical cancer screening. :Methods: Cervical cancer screening was conducted in Zhongshan city in Guangdong province, China through a coordinated network of multiple institutes and hospitals. A total of 43,567 women, 35 to 59 years of age, were screened during regular gynecological examinations using the liquid-based ThinPrep cytology test (TCT). Patients who tested positive were recalled for further treatment. Results: The TCT-positive rate was 3.17%, and 63.4% of these patients returned for follow-up. Pathology results were positive for 30.5% of the recalled women. Women who were younger than 50 years of age, urban dwelling, low-income, had a history of cervical disease, began having sex before 20 years of age, or had sex during menstruation, were at elevated risk for a positive TCT test. The recall rate was lower in women older than 50 years of age, urban dwelling, poorly educated, and who began having sex early. Ahigher recall rate was found in women 35 years of age and younger, urban dwelling, women who first had sex after 24 years of age, and women who had sex during menstruation. The positive pathology rate was higher in urban women 50 years of age and younger and women who tested positive for human papillomavirus. Conclusion: An effective model for large-scale cervical cancer screening was successfully established. These results suggest that improvements are needed in basic education regarding cervical cancer screening for young and poorly educated women. Improved outreach for follow-up is also necessary to effectively control cervical cancer.