The Women’s General Association of Macau has strongly urged local women to prioritize cervical cancer screening, with data showing that around 20% of young women in the city have never undergone a pap smear test.
The association’s medical center has provided over 85,000 pap smear tests in the past 15 years, according to Wong Kit Cheng, lawmaker and vice president of the association. She stressed the importance of raising awareness among young women about the need for cervical cancer screening, as the incidence rate of the disease remains high in the 20-49 age group.
“The data shows that the screening work has achieved a certain degree of success in detecting lesions in the pre-cancerous phase, as well as in providing timely treatment to prevent the development of a malignant tumor,” said Wong, as quoted by Jornal do Cidadão.
The government has been collaborating with local institutions since 2009 to launch a cervical cancer screening program. Pap smear tests, which can detect abnormal cells in the cervix, are considered one of the most effective and simple methods for early detection of the disease.
In addition to its efforts in cervical cancer prevention, the Women’s General Association has also been providing free breast cancer screening services to residents since 2017, serving over 23,000 women. According to Wong, the risk of breast cancer among middle-aged women aged 50 and over has increased significantly.
The association plans to focus even more on preventing cervical and breast cancer, as well as HIV. Wong hoped the government and private companies will invest more resources into the prevention, screening, and diagnosis of these diseases, to increase the cure rate and reduce the mortality rate. Victoria Chan
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