Cervical Cancer in Developing Countries: Effective Screening and Preventive Strategies With an Application in Rwanda

In this article we explore literature regarding cervical cancer screening methods available in developing countries. Cervical cancer is a preventable and curable disease, but it continues to threaten the lives of many women. Eighty-five percent of cases and the majority of deaths occur in developing countries. Cytology via Papinicolaou (Pap) smear is not generally a suitable method of screening in low-resource regions. Alternative methods include visual inspection by acetic acid (VIA), human papillomavirus–deoxyribonucleic acid (HPV–DNA), and careHPV–DNA. Education is needed for health care providers and women about preventive immunization and screening. A Rwandan project is described to demonstrate effective program planning and implementation.