A extensão universitária na prevenção do câncer de colo do útero em comunidades ribeirinhas no estado do Pará

The cervical cancer (CC) is the most frequent cancer in women of northern Brazil, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer. This region of the country has many communities with limited access to basic health services. CC’s prevention strategies in coastal communities are important so that the death rate from this disease is reduced. We describe the characteristics of women who conducted the Pap test through the university extension programs in riverside communities served by the program “Light in the Amazon” aimed at preventing sexually transmitted diseases and cancer of the cervix. In the communities visited between 2011 and 2014, a total of 154 women conducted preventive examination of cervical cancer. Of these, 24% had never performed the test previously and 10.39% had abnormal results. The local population lacks health services that provide care focused on women's health and programs like “Light in the Amazon” are essential for the prevention of cervical cancer in women of these communities.