The Babes-Papanicolau Pap smear test during January 23-29 can be done gratis also at the private lab “Invitro Diagnostics”. In a press release, the lab says it is for the first time in Moldova that the private sector becomes involved in doing free cervical cancer screening tests. The activity is carried out within the European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, IPN reports.
Employees of the lab said the women can take the test free this week, between 7:30am and 5:30pm, at the lab’s head office and until 4:00pm at its branches. The women must have only an identification paper with them.
According to the press release, cervical cancer develops during many years and goes through a long pre-cancer phase before becoming invasive. At the incipient stages, cervical cancer does not cause bleeding or pain and there are thus no signs of alarm. Among the cervical cancer risk factors are: early sexual life; frequent change of sexual partners; sexually transmitted diseases; abortions; smoking, and overweight.
Specialists recommend the women aged between 25 and 61 to do the screening test once in three years. The cervical cancer screening programs prevent up to 80% of the cases of disease and are recommended in all the EU member states.
According to the Oncological Institute, about 350 new cases of cervical cancer are recorded annually in Moldova. Owing to late detection, the disease causes yearly the death of about 180 women, which is practically one woman each two days.
Immunization against the Human Papillomavirus in adolescence is very efficient and significantly reduces the risk of developing cervical cancer.
