[Immigration from countries with a strong migratory pressure and participation in cervical cancer screening program in the Local Health Unit 2, Umbria Region. Impact on the probability of high-grade lesions and cervical cancer].

OBJECTIVE

to measure the risk of having serious lesions and cervical cancer for immigrant women, by evaluating the impact of their lack of participation in the previous rounds.

DESIGN

retrospective study.

SOURCE OF DATA

archive of the screening programme of Local Health Unit 2, Umbria. People subjected to the study: those adhering to the last round (2008- 2010) and belonging to an age group potentially capable of participating in all the previous rounds (1999-2007).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

positivity to Pap test; lesions that require colposcopy (AGCH,AGCUS,ASCH, HSIL); tumours (squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas).

RESULTS

1.7% of the women were positive to the Pap test, 0.7% presented lesions with the immediate need for colposcopy, and 0.039% were diagnosed with cancer. The percentage of women who resulted either positive to the Pap test, or presenting lesions requiring colposcopy or with cancer, is significantly higher among those who come from poor countries. Furthermore, participation in previous rounds has proven to be protective with reference to the above-mentioned markers.

CONCLUSION

the independent weight of several risk factors has emerged and consequently the need to promote with particular commitment the participation in screening of women coming from poor countries.