Vccr statisticsreport 2014 digital finalapproved

Statistical Report 2014

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

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Statistical Report 2014

The Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government

Editorial Committee Professor Dorota Gertig, VCCR Medical Director Associate Professor Marion Saville, VCS Executive Director Associate Professor Julia Brotherton, VCCR Epidemiologist, NHVPR Medical Director Genevieve Chappell, VCCR Manager Bianca Barbaro, Geographical Consultant Lesley Rowlands, Follow-up Manager Produced by Cathryn May, Data Manager Louise Ang, Health Information Manager

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry PO Box 161 Carlton South Victoria 3053 03 9250 0399 registry@vccr.org www.vccr.org ISSN 2202-4417

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

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CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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1. INTRODUCTION

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1.1

Background

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1.2

Functions of the VCCR

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1.3 National Policy: The NHMRC guidelines for the management of asymptomatic women with screen detected abnormalities 1.4

Renewal of the National Cervical Screening Program

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1.5 The National HPV Vaccination Program

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1.6

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Data included in this report

2. PARTICIPATION IN SCREENING

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2.1 Number of Cervical Screening Tests and women screened Table 2.1 Number of Cervical Screening Tests (CSTs) registered and number of women screened in Victoria, 1990-2014.

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2.2 Participation by age group TABLE 2.2 Estimated cervical screening rates by age group over one year, two year, three year and five year periods.

TABLE 2.2.1 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by age group, 2000-2001 to 2013-2014.

Figure 2.2.1 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by age group, 2000-2001 to 2013-2014.

Figure 2.2.2 Estimated two year cervical screening rates for women aged 20 to 24 years and 25 to 29 years, 2003-2004 to 2013-2014.

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2.3 Participation by area

2.3.1 Participation by Medicare Local

Table 2.3.1 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by Medicare Local, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

FIGURE 2.3.1 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by Medicare Local, 2013-2014.

2.3.2 Participation by Health region

Table 2.3.2 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by Health region, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

FIGURE 2.3.2 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by Health region, 2013-2014.

2.3.3 Participation by Local Government Area Table 2.3.3 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by Local Government Area, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

FIGURE 2.3.3 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by Local Government Area, 2013-2014.

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2.4 Cervical Screening Tests collected by nurses

Table 2.4 Proportion of Cervical Screening Tests collected by nurses, 2005-2014.

2.4.1 Proportion of Cervical Screening Tests collected by nurses by Health region Table 2.4.1 Cervical Screening Tests collected by nurses, by Health region, 2014.

Figure 2.4.1 Proportion of Cervical Screening Tests collected by nurses, by Health region, 2014.

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2.5 Closing the data gaps: Identifying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and collecting Country of Birth and Language Spoken at Home Table 2.5.1 Reporting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status of women screened during 2014.

Table 2.5.2 Number and proportion of Pap tests collected during 2014 with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status recorded by Practitioner type.

2.6 Frequency of early re-screening T able 2.6 Subsequent Cervical Screening Tests within a 21 month period for women with a negative Pap test in February of 2013.

Figure 2.6 Percentage of women by age group who had an index Pap test in February of 2013 and then re-screened early.

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3. CYTOLOGY REPORTS

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3.1 Unsatisfactory Pap tests 3.2 Negative Pap tests 3.3 Pap tests without an endocervical component

F igure 3.3 Percentage of Pap tests without an endocervical component, 2005-2014.

3.4 Pap tests with a squamous abnormality Table 3.4 Number and percent of Pap tests collected in 2014 with a squamous abnormality.

3.5 Pap tests with an endocervical abnormality Table 3.5 Number and percent of Pap tests collected in 2014 with an endocervical abnormality.

3.6 Type of tests

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4.

HISTOLOGY REPORTS

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Table 4 Histology findings reported to the VCCR in 2014.

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5.

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HIGH-GRADE ABNORMALITY DETECTION RATES

Figure 5.1 Detection rate of high-grade intraepithelial abnormalities (histologically-confirmed) from 2010-2014 per 1,000 screened women.

Figure 5.2 Trends in high-grade cervical abnormalities (histologically-confirmed) by age, 2000-2014, as recorded on the VCCR. 6. CORRELATION BETWEEN CYTOLOGY AND HISTOLOGY REPORTS

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Table 6.1 Correlation of squamous cytology to the most serious squamous histology within six months, for women aged 20 to 69 years, for cytology tests performed in 2013.

Table 6.2 Correlation of endocervical cytology to the most serious endocervical histology within six months, for women aged 20 to 69 years, for cytology tests performed in 2013.

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7.

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FOLLOW-UP AND REMINDER PROGRAM

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Table 7 Number of first and second reminder letters sent to women by the VCCR in 2014.

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8. CERVICAL CANCER INCIDENCE AND MORTALITY IN VICTORIA Figure 8.1 Age-standardised incidence and mortality rates for all types of cervical cancer in Victoria, 1982-2014.

Figure 8.2 Age-standardised incidence rates for cervical cancer by histological subtype in Victoria, 1982-2014.

Figure 8.3 Age-specific incidence rates of cervical cancer by histological subtype in Victoria, 2012-2014.

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SCREENING HISTORY OF WOMEN DIAGNOSED WITH CERVICAL CANCER IN 2013 9.

Table 9 Screening history of Victorian women diagnosed with cervical cancer for the period 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

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GLOSSARY REFERENCES

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APPENDIX 1. CYTOLOGY CODING SCHEDULE

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APPENDIX 2. REMINDER AND FOLLOW-UP PROTOCOL USED DURING 2014

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APPENDIX 3. MAP OF MEDICARE LOCALS

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APPENDIX 3. MAP OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS – MELBOURNE

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APPENDIX 3. MAP OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS – VICTORIA

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Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Cervical Screening Program is entering an exciting time of significant policy change. In 2014, the Australian Government announced that the present Cervical Screening Program will change to a primary HPV DNA test at a five year screening interval for women between the ages of 25 and 74 years.

This strategy is known as Renewal and will commence on the 1 May 2017. The Renewal will ensure that Australian women have access to the best and safest screening program based on current evidence. Until the changeover, the screening policy recommendation remains as two yearly Pap tests for women aged 18 to 69 years of age.

The Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR) will continue to support the current program and is commencing preparations to support the Renewed program. VCCR is working closely with VCS Pathology to support the Compass trial, which is a randomised controlled trial that is comparing two and a half yearly cytology based cervical screening with five yearly primary HPV DNA testing. The Pilot trial commenced in October 2013 and the Main trial commenced in January 2015.

The trial is a sentinel experience of the Renewed program and offers eligible Victorian women and their healthcare practitioners an opportunity to be part of the new screening program at an early stage. The trial is being led by researchers from the Victorian Cytology Service (VCS) and the Cancer Council New South Wales. The VCCR is providing follow-up and reminders to women in the Compass trial and this will ensure the Registry is prepared for the forthcoming changes.

One of the key activities of the VCCR is to improve participation of Victorian women in the cervical screening program by sending reminder letters and conducting research into under-screening. In 2014, with ongoing assistance from the Victorian Government, the sending of second reminder letters to Victorian women regarding Pap tests continued to be an important initiative for the Cervical Screening Program.

During the screening period of 2011-2012, the estimated two year participation rate for women aged 20 to 69 years was 60.0%, which then increased to 60.4% for the period of 2012-2013. However, for the period of 2013-2014 two year participation declined to 59.2%, because of an increase in the eligible population for screening due to migration into Victoria and a small decline in Pap test numbers.

There has been an ongoing decline in two year participation among younger women (20 to 29 years of age) falling from 52.7% in 2006-2007 to 46.0% in 2013-2014. Whilst this is a continuation from an existing underlying trend, it may now reflect younger vaccinated women becoming complacent about the need for screening, as suggested by a recent publication of an analysis linking VCCR data with the National HPV Vaccination Program Register (NHVPR).1 Continued education of vaccinated women about screening is necessary to maximise protection from cervical cancer.

Substantial variation exists in screening rates between different areas of Victoria, as represented by Medicare Locals, 6

with the two year screening rates for 2013-2014 ranging from 53.1% to 66.4%. The screening rate for Health regions ranged from 55.8% to 62.9%, while the estimated two year participation rate for Local Government Areas ranged from 42.7% to 76.2%.

As part of the follow-up and reminder program, the VCCR registered a total of 595,142 Cervical Screening Tests (CSTs)2 in 2014, representing 567,672 women, and sent 428,013 follow-up and reminder letters to women and practitioners. In 2014 there were 3,706 HPV DNA tests (without Liquid Based Cytology) completed as part of the Compass trial, representing 3,577 women and inclusion of these data in the report is described further in Sections 1.6 and 2.1.

More than 6,600 abnormal Pap tests were followed-up by the VCCR in 2014 with a questionnaire to the practitioner. Of the 275,554 first reminders sent to women after a negative Pap test, 39% of women had a subsequent Pap test within three months.

Just over 115,000 second reminder letters were sent to women and, of those sent after a negative Pap test (109,560), 23% had a subsequent Pap test within three months of the reminder.

Of Pap tests recorded by the VCCR during the period of this report, a definite high-grade squamous cell abnormality was present in 0.8% of tests and an endocervical abnormality was identified in fewer than 0.1% of tests. Of the 3,621 high-grade cytology tests which had histology reported within six months, 2,893 were subsequently confirmed with high-grade histology on biopsy. This represents a positive predictive value of 79.9% and reflects the high quality of laboratory reporting in Victoria.

Over the last decade there has been a gradual increase in the proportion of CSTs collected by nurses. In 2014 CSTs collected by nurses represented 6.1% of all tests collected in Victoria, highlighting the significant role nurses have in the Cervical Screening Program.

VCCR continues to work closely with Program Partners to identify groups in our community that are less likely to screen.

Collecting information from women attending screening about their identification as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person, their Country of Birth and the Language Spoken at Home is critical for understanding who participates in cervical screening. The overall percentage of women screened in 2014 who had their Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander status recorded by the VCCR was 23.9%, for Country of Birth 19.8% and Language Spoken at Home 20.6%.

According to recent data (2014) from the Victorian Cancer Registry, mortality from cervical cancer in Victoria remains at very low levels, at 1.1 per 100,000 women. This is a tremendous achievement and reflects the success of the National Cervical Screening Program in Victoria, which is underpinned by the VCCR. Despite this success, further efforts are necessary to improve participation amongst under-screened women as 74% of Victorian women who were diagnosed with invasive squamous cervical cancer in 2013 had never had a Pap test, or were lapsed screeners, prior to their cancer diagnosis.

1 Budd AC, Brotherton JML, Gertig DM, Chau T, Drennan K, Saville M. Cervical screening rates for women vaccinated against human papillomavirus. Med J Aust.2014;201:279-282.

2 Cervical Screening Tests (CSTs) refers to Pap tests collected as part of the National Cervical Screening Program, as well as both Pap tests and HPV DNA tests (without Liquid Based Cytology) collected as part of the Compass trial.

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND The Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR) is one of eight such registries operating throughout Australia. Victoria was the first State to establish such a register and commenced operation in late 1989 after amendments to the Cancer Act 1958.

The Pap test Registries, as they are commonly known, were introduced progressively across Australia throughout the 1990s. The Registries are an essential component of the National Cervical Screening Program and provide the infrastructure for organised cervical screening in each State and Territory.

The VCCR is a voluntary ‘opt-off’ confidential register of Victorian women’s Pap test results. Laboratories provide the VCCR with data on all Pap tests taken in Victoria, unless a woman chooses not to participate.

The VCCR works closely with the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and other Program Partners including PapScreen Victoria, which is responsible for the communications and recruitment program aimed at maintaining the high rates of participation of Victorian women in the National Cervical Screening Program.

1.3 NATIONAL POLICY: THE NHMRC GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ASYMPTOMATIC WOMEN WITH SCREEN DETECTED ABNORMALITIES On 1 July 2006, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines for the Management of Asymptomatic Women with Screen Detected Abnormalities3 were implemented around Australia. The main changes to the previous guidelines were: • the change of terminology for cytology reports to the Australian Modified Bethesda System 2004 • to repeat Pap tests for most women with low-grade squamous abnormalities • to not treat biopsy proven low-grade or HPV lesions • to refer all women with atypical glandular cells for colposcopy • to refer all women with a possible high-grade lesion for colposcopy • to use HPV tests and cytology as a test of cure for women treated for CINII and CINIII. The VCCR participates in the National Safety Monitoring of the NHMRC guidelines. 4

1.2 FUNCTIONS OF THE VCCR The VCCR facilitates regular participation of women in the National Cervical Screening Program by sending reminder letters to women for Cervical Screening Tests (CSTs) and by acting as a safety net for the follow-up of women with abnormal CSTs. From October 2015, the new Victorian Improving Cancer Outcomes Act came into effect. However, prior to this (and relevant to the period of this report) the Cancer Act 1958 indicated the primary functions of the VCCR, which are to: a) follow-up positive results from cancer tests b) send reminder notices to women who are due for cancer tests c) where appropriate, provide access to the Register to persons studying cancer d) compile and publish statistics.

Secondary functions of the Registries around Australia have developed on a more regional basis. In Victoria, the role of the VCCR includes: • the provision of the known screening history of a woman to the laboratory that is reporting the current Cervical Screening Test (CST) • the provision of quantitative data to laboratories to assist with their quality assurance programs • the provision of aggregate data to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) so that the National Cervical Screening Program can be judged against an agreed set of performance indicators.

3 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 2005. Screening to prevent cervical cancer: guidelines for the management of asymptomatic women with screen-detected abnormalities, Canberra: NHMRC. 4 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2013. Report on monitoring activities of the National Cervical Screening Program Safety Monitoring Committee. Cancer series 80. Cat. no. CAN 77. Canberra: AIHW. Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

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1.4 RENEWAL OF THE NATIONAL CERVICAL SCREENING PROGRAM While the National Cervical Screening Program has been successful since its introduction in 1991, the science relating to cancer continues to change. New technology to assist with the detection of cervical cancer has been developed, new evidence has emerged about the optimal screening age range and interval, and the HPV vaccine has become available.

During 2011, the Standing Committee on Screening of the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council commenced the review of the policy and operation of the National Cervical Screening Program. Input and feedback was sought from expert committees including the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) and reference groups for the best evidence on screening tests and pathways, the screening interval, age range and commencement into the program for both HPV vaccinated and non-vaccinated women.5 A cost-effective screening pathway and program model was then proposed and endorsed to ensure women have access to a cervical screening program that is safe, effective and efficient, and based on current evidence. The planned commencement date of the renewed program is 1 May 2017.

In summary the recommendations for Renewal include: • a new Cervical Screening Test – a HPV DNA test – to become the primary screening test, followed by a triage Pap test if necessary • HPV testing to be done every five years for HPV vaccinated and unvaccinated women aged 25 to 74 years • women with symptoms can have a cervical test at any age • invitations for screening, recall, and follow-up to be done for women • the option of a self-collect HPV sample for under-screened and never screened women.6

1.5 THE NATIONAL HPV VACCINATION PROGRAM The National HPV Vaccination Program commenced in April 2007 and is already having a substantial impact on the prevalence of HPV infection and cervical lesions in vaccinated cohorts.7 Between 2007 and 2009, 12 to 26 year old females were offered the quadrivalent HPV vaccination (Gardasil) in a national catch-up program provided through schools, general practice and other community providers. Since 2009 the program has offered routine vaccination through schools for 12 to 13 year old girls. From 2013, vaccination of boys at 12 to 13 years has also been offered, with a two year catch-up program for 14 to 15 year old boys finishing in 2014.

The Pap test Registries around Australia play an important role in monitoring the impact of the vaccination program on participation rates in cervical screening and on cervical abnormalities and cancer in the long term. The importance of continuing regular Pap tests for vaccinated women is emphasised as part of the National HPV Vaccination Program.

A National HPV Vaccination Program Register (the HPV Register)8 was established to support, monitor and evaluate the National HPV Vaccination Program. The Victorian Cytology Service (VCS) Ltd., which has operated the VCCR for over 25 years, was engaged by the Department of Health and Ageing in February of 2008 to establish and manage the National HPV Register.

The HPV Register receives data from all states and territories and from all types of vaccination providers including local councils (who in some States deliver the school vaccination program), general practitioners, nurses and other immunisation providers around Australia. The Register records basic demographic information and information about HPV vaccine doses administered in Australia.

The HPV Register supports the program by sending statements on vaccination status to eligible vaccine recipients and their providers, and by providing reports and de-identified data to approved providers and researchers.

Linkage of data held by the HPV Register with information held by cervical screening and cancer registries will be a critical component of monitoring and evaluating the impact of vaccination. Through de-identified data linkage undertaken between the HPV Register and the VCCR through to the end of 2011, we demonstrated a 48% reduction in the rates of the most serious cervical pre-cancers for women who had been completely vaccinated in the school-program, compared with unvaccinated women.9 These data indicate that the downward trend observed among young women within VCCR and national screening data can be ascribed to HPV vaccination.

5 Australian Government, Department of Health, National Cervical Screening Program Renewal website. http://cancerscreening.gov.au/ internet/screening/publishing.nsf/Content/cervical-screening-1, viewed 5 October 2015.

6 Ibid.

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7 Tabrizi SN, Brotherton JML, Kaldor JM, Skinner SR, Cummins E, Liu B, Bateson D, McNamee K, Garefalakis M, Garland SM. Fall in Human Papillomavirus Prevalence Following a National Vaccination Program.

J Infect Dis. 2012; 206 (11): 164551.

8 The National HPV Vaccination Program Register website. http://www.hpvregister.org.au, viewed 5 October 2015.

9 Gertig DM, Brotherton JML, Budd AC, Drennan K, Chappell G, Saville AM. Impact of a population-based HPV vaccination program on cervical abnormalities: a data linkage study. BMC Medicine 2013; 11:227.

1.6 DATA INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT This statistical report provides timely information about cervical screening in Victoria during 2014. In most cases the methodology and terminology used in VCCR reports are consistent with that published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) as part of reporting indicators for the National Cervical Screening Program.10 Cervical Screening Tests While the VCCR records Pap test data for Victorian women, it also logs the data from the Compass trial. The Compass trial is a clinical trial comparing two and a half-yearly Pap test screening with five yearly HPV DNA screening.11 The Compass Pilot study commenced recruitment in October of 2013 and the Main trial commenced recruitment in January of 2015.

In line with Cervical Screening Renewal, HPV DNA tests are now considered Cervical Screening Tests (CSTs) along with Pap test cytology. Where relevant, both the Pap tests and HPV DNA tests completed as part of the Compass trial have been incorporated into the statistics in this report and noted where applicable. Generally, Compass HPV DNA tests (without Liquid Based Cytology) are included in the participation statistics in Section 2 of this report but not in the other sections which relate to cytology or histology.

Participation rates This report includes information on participation rates of CSTs (i.e. conventional Pap tests and Pap tests/HPV DNA tests (without Liquid Based Cytology) as part of the Compass trial) for women aged 20 to 69 years in 10 year age groups and additionally by five year age groups for the 20 to 29 year old group. Population data have been adjusted to exclude women who have had a hysterectomy, using modeling carried out by the AIHW based on the National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD). The two year participation rates are also presented

by Medicare Local (ML), Health region and Local Government Area (LGA).

The number and proportion of CSTs collected by nurses are presented in this report, by year and Health region. Further information regarding CSTs collected by nurses is available in the report Evaluation of Cervical Screening Tests collected by Nurses in Victoria during 2014, available on the VCCR website at http://www.vccr.org/data-research/statistical-reports/annualnurse-reports.

The Participation in Screening Section also includes some limited information on the identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and the collection of indicators of cultural diversity, such as Country of Birth and Language Spoken at Home.

Information on the proportion of women who re-screen early is also featured.

10 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2015. Cervical screening in Australia 2012-2013. Cancer series no.93. Cat. no. CAN 91.

Canberra: AIHW. 11 C ompass trial website. http://www.compasstrial.org.au, viewed 5 October 2015.

Cytology coding Information provided on the cytology report of Pap tests is pre-coded by the pathology laboratory according to the Cytology Coding Schedule. Appendix 1 outlines the Australia-wide cytology codes that have been used since 1 July 2006 to correspond with the implementation of the NHMRC guidelines.12 The Cytology Coding Schedule allows a Pap test report to be summarised to a six digit numeric code covering the type of test, site of test, squamous cell result, endocervical cell result, other non-cervical cell result, and the recommendation made by the laboratory in regard to further testing.

Data are presented in this report on the proportion of Pap tests classified according to results, including unsatisfactory, negative, squamous abnormality and endocervical abnormality. The percentage of Pap tests collected during 2014 without an endocervical component is also presented.

Histology reports The 2014 histology results in this report are as notified to the VCCR by 6 July 2015. The vast majority of histology reports were notified by this time. The VCCR also receives a proportion of colposcopy only results, most typically when a histology report is not available. Data included in this report excludes results reported from a colposcopy report alone (i.e. no laboratory report). This report also provides information on the correlation of cytology reports received by the VCCR during 2013 and subsequent histology reports received up to six months later.

In 2013, the VCCR implemented a program for colposcopists to submit additional information relating to colposcopies performed in Victoria. This will assist with the follow-up of abnormalities and the monitoring of colposcopy quality.

Summary reports are being provided to colposcopists to assist them in monitoring and improving their practice.

Follow-up protocol The VCCR Reminder and Follow-up protocol is based on the NHMRC Guidelines for the Management of Asymptomatic Women with Screen Detected Abnormalities.13 The Reminder and Followup protocol used by the VCCR in 2014 is shown in Appendix 2.

Reminder letters are not sent to women whose VCCR records indicate a past history of hysterectomy or of cervical or uterine malignancy, or to women who are over 70 years of age and whose last Pap test was normal.

Cervical cancer incidence and mortality Information on cervical cancer incidence and mortality is provided in this report courtesy of the Victorian Cancer Registry at the Victorian Cancer Council. Also included is a section examining the screening history of Victorian women diagnosed with invasive and micro-invasive cervical cancer during 2013.

12 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 2005. Screening to prevent cervical cancer: guidelines for the management of asymptomatic women with screen-detected abnormalities, Canberra: NHMRC. 13 Ibid.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

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2. PARTICIPATION IN SCREENING 2.1 NUMBER OF CERVICAL SCREENING TESTS AND WOMEN SCREENED Table 2.1 shows data on the number of Cervical Screening Tests (CSTs) registered and the number of women screened for each year of the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry’s (VCCR) operation. During 2014, a total of 595,142 tests were registered from 567,672 women. From the previous year, this is a decrease of 5,789 tests and 4,029 women screened.

As described in Section 1.6, CSTs include HPV DNA tests (without Liquid Based Cytology) and Pap tests as part of the Compass trial, as well as Pap tests as part of the National Cervical Screening Program. Table 2.1 includes 147 Compass HPV DNA tests (without Liquid Based Cytology) from 138 women for 2013, and 3,706 Compass HPV DNA tests (without Liquid Based Cytology) from 3,577 women for 2014.

In interpreting the information in Table 2.1, it is important to consider that while it is recommended that women screen every two years, a small proportion of women in Victoria are screened on an annual basis. Additionally, correct attribution of CSTs to the same woman over time is not always possible, sometimes resulting in a possible over-estimation of women recorded on the VCCR. However, over the last 10 years, 95% of women with a Pap test record on the VCCR have had a Medicare number recorded. This has resulted in more complete recordlinkage of different episodes of care for women.

The VCCR is a voluntary ‘opt-off’ registry; however, the proportion of women who are part of the screening program but decide to opt-off the VCCR is estimated to be fewer than 1%. Correlating VCS laboratory records with those held by the VCCR shows a 10 year (2005-2014) opt-off rate of 0.35%.

Where a woman objects to her Pap test being registered, the VCCR holds no information about that test.

Table 2.1 Number of Cervical Screening Tests (CSTs) registered and number of women screened in Victoria, 1990-2014.

Year

Number of CSTs registered

Number of women screened

1990

435,696

400,138

1991

544,400

496,285

1992

540,468

494,865

1993

570,593

522,311

1994

622,971

562,221

1995

588,782

529,262

1996

617,165

559,607

1997

584,821

533,512

1998

618,472

569,834

1999

602,384

557,237

2000

572,028

531,764

2001

577,158

542,383

2002

579,164

540,638

2003

571,584

532,403

2004

587,941

550,126

2005

585,299

549,615

2006

572,761

540,693

2007

585,578

557,385

2008

565,676

538,235

2009

584,287

556,501

2010

573,871

547,456

2011

572,146

545,787

2012

602,371

574,115

2013

600,931

571,701

2014

595,142

567,672

Notes • T he number of CSTs registered and women screened on the Registry as of 17 Nov 2015. CSTs include Pap tests and both Pap tests and HPV DNA tests (without Liquid Based Cytology) completed as part of the Compass trial (refer to section 1.6).

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2.2 PARTICIPATION BY AGE GROUP

Participation in cervical screening by age group

Method of calculating participation

Table 2.2 shows the estimated cervical screening rates for Victorian women by age group for one, two, three and five year periods, with data adjusted to exclude women who have had a hysterectomy.

The participation of women estimated to be part of the Victorian Cervical Screening Program by age group is expressed as a percentage. This is determined by dividing the number of women screened by the number of women in the general population who are eligible for screening. he number of women screened (numerator) is determined T from the VCCR database. It is the number of women resident in Victoria who had at least one CST in the time period of interest and have not had a hysterectomy according to information held by the VCCR. It includes women who have participated in the Compass trial.

The eligible population (denominator) is the number of women in the general population averaged for the time period of interest, and adjusted to include only women with an intact cervix. To determine this, the Victorian female Estimated Resident Population (ERP)14 calculated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is averaged over two years and then adjusted to exclude the proportion of women estimated to have had a hysterectomy using the known percentage of women who have not had a hysterectomy. Whilst VCCR participation statistics produced prior to 2011 used hysterectomy fraction estimates from the National Health Survey,15 these data are no longer collected by the ABS. In VCCR Statistical reports from 2011 onwards, population data for the latest screening periods have been adjusted with hysterectomy estimates from analysis conducted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) using data from the National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD).16 This is consistent with the national approach.

It is important to appreciate that changes in the methods used to calculate participation impact upon the actual participation estimates. Hence comparisons in participation over time should be made with caution.

Limitations of participation statistics As previously discussed, one limitation to these participation statistics is the imperfect record-linkage between multiple CSTs from the same woman that could result in an overestimate of the number of women screened. This needs to be considered carefully when looking at participation over a longer time period (such as for three or five years) as this overestimate of women screened will be relatively amplified thereby producing an overestimate in participation.

In addition, where site of specimen information is not reported to the Registry when a Pap test is taken from a woman without a cervix, the woman will be incorrectly included in the numerator.

14 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 3101.0 – Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2014 (release date 25/6/2015).

15 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 4364.0 – National Health Survey: Summary of Results, 2004-2005 (release date 27/2/2006).

16 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2015. Cervical screening in Australia 2012-2013. Cancer series no.93. Cat. no. CAN 91.

Canberra: AIHW.

Table 2.2 Estimated cervical screening rates by age group over one year, two year, three year and five year periods.

Age Group

20 to 29 years – 20 to 24 years – 25 to 29 years

% screened 2014 (1 year)

% screened 2013-14 (2 years)

% screened 2012-14 (3 years)

% screened 2010-14 (5 years)

24.9%

46.0%

60.2%

79.0%

21.9% 27.6%

40.8% 50.8%

54.5%

74.6%

65.6%

83.1%

30 to 39 years

31.9%

59.4%

74.5%

89.3%

40 to 49 years

35.1%

65.9%

80.3%

89.8%

50 to 59 years

35.7%

67.3%

79.2%

84.4%

60 to 69 years

32.8%

62.6%

71.2%

72.5%

20 to 69 years

31.6%

59.2%

72.6%

83.9%

Notes • T he eligible female population is adjusted to exclude the estimated proportion of women who have had a hysterectomy using hysterectomy fractions derived from the NHMD. • T he table provides the percentage of women screened as a proportion of the eligible female population (crude rate). Women screened only includes women who have not had a hysterectomy according to information held by the VCCR. • Women screened by the Compass trial are included.

• Periods covered apply to calendar years.

There was a decrease in the one year screening rate for women aged 20 to 69 years during 2014, from 32.3%in 201317 to 31.6% for 2014. Whilst there was only a small decrease in the number of women who were screened, the decrease in participation was also influenced by the increase in the eligible screening population across all age groups in 2014.

The two year screening rate (for the calendar years of 2013-2014) for women aged 20 to 69 years is estimated at 59.2%, which is a slight decrease from 60.4% for the previous reporting period (2012-2013).18 The small decline in the number of women screened during this two year period along with an increase in the eligible population has led to this decline in participation. The 20 to 29 year old cohort reported the lowest two year participation rate at 46.0% (a decrease from 47.1% reported for the previous period) while the 50 to 59 year old cohort had the highest participation at 67.3% (for 2013-2014).

Over the three year period from 2012-2014, the participation rate of Victorian women aged 20 to 69 years is estimated at 72.6%, almost on par with the previous period of 2011-2013 (72.7%). Table 2.2 also highlights the five year estimated participation rate of 83.9% for 2010-2014, which is a slight decrease from the previous period (84.0%).19 Three and five year participation rates for women aged between 20 and 39 years decreased slightly from the previous period, whereas participation for women aged over 50 years increased.

17 Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR), Statistical Report 2013.

Available from: http://www.vccr.org/data-research/statistical-reports.

18 Ibid.

19 Ibid.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

11

Estimated two year participation over time As seen in Table 2.2.1 and Figure 2.2.1, there was a small decline in participation over time for each age group between 2000-2001 and 2010-2011. An increase in the number of women being screened occurred in most age groups in the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 periods. It is likely that the introduction of a second reminder letter20 in 2013 was responsible for the improved participation in women aged 40 and over during that period. In contrast, the 2013-2014 period has seen a decline in participation across all age groups, particularly in the younger cohorts of women aged less than 50 years (refer to Figure 2.2.1). table 2.2.1 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by age group, 2000-2001 to 2013-2014.

Participation (%) 20 to 24 years

25 to 29 years

20 to 29 years

30 to 39 years

40 to 49 years

50 to 59 years

60 to 69 years

20 to 69 years

2000-2001 *

–

–

56.0%

70.0%

74.0%

76.0%

58.0%

66.6%

2001-2002 *

–

–

56.8%

67.0%

68.9%

69.7%

57.7%

64.4%

2002-2003 *

–

–

55.4%

66.4%

68.5%

70.0%

58.4%

63.9%

2003-2004 *

48.5%

60.3%

54.4%

66.5%

69.5%

71.5%

60.3%

64.4%

2004-2005 *

48.5%

60.2%

54.4%

67.4%

70.5%

71.9%

60.9%

65.0%

2005-2006 †

47.9%

58.7%

53.2%

66.3%

66.7%

68.8%

63.6%

63.4%

2006-2007 †

47.3%

58.1%

52.7%

65.4%

66.5%

69.6%

64.4%

63.1%

2007-2008 †

46.1%

56.3%

51.2%

64.5%

65.9%

69.3%

64.1%

62.3%

2008-2009 †

43.0%

54.0%

48.5%

63.7%

65.5%

69.4%

64.6%

61.3%

2009-2010 †

41.6%

52.4%

47.1%

62.6%

65.5%

69.9%

65.3%

60.7%

2010-2011 ‡

41.3%

51.7%

46.6%

61.1%

66.1%

66.1%

59.7%

59.2%

2011-2012 ‡

41.7%

52.2%

47.1%

61.3%

66.9%

67.2%

61.6%

60.0%

2012-2013 ‡

41.9%

52.0%

47.1%

61.0%

67.5%

68.3%

62.9%

60.4%

2013-2014 ‡

40.8%

50.8%

46.0%

59.4%

65.9%

67.3%

62.6%

59.2%

Notes • * 2000-2001 to 2004-2005 population data has been adjusted using the 2001 National Health Survey hysterectomy fractions estimates. † 2005-2006 to 2009-2010 population data has been adjusted using the 2004-05 National Health Survey hysterectomy fractions estimates. ‡ 2010-2011 to 2013-2014 population data has been adjusted using the NHMD hysterectomy fractions estimates (courtesy of the AIHW).

• Women screened by the Compass trial are included.

• Periods covered apply to calendar years.

Figure 2.2.1 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by age group, 2000-2001 to 2013-2014.

20 to 69 years

66.6%

64.4%

63.9%

64.4%

65.0%

2000-2001*

2001-2002*

2002-2003*

2003-2004*

2004-2005*

63.4%

63.1%

62.3%

61.3%

60.7%

59.2%

60.0%

60.4%

59.2%

80 70

Participation rate (%)

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Screening period

20 to 29 years

30 to 39 years

2005-2006† 2006-2007† 2007-2008† 2008-2009† 2009-2010† 2010-2011‡ 2011-2012‡ 2012-2013‡ 2013-2014‡

40 to 49 years

50 to 59 years

60 to 69 years

20 to 69 years

Notes • T he graph provides the percentage of women screened as a proportion of the eligible female population (crude rate). Women screened only includes women who have not had a hysterectomy according to information held by the VCCR. The eligible female population is adjusted to exclude the estimated proportion of women who have had a hysterectomy using hysterectomy fractions as indicated by the symbols *, † and ‡; which are outlined in the notes under Table 2.2.1.

• Women screened by the Compass trial are included.

• Periods covered apply to calendar years.

20 The second reminder letter provides a further prompt for a woman to attend for a Pap test if the first reminder following a negative result does not result in a Pap test being received by the Register within 36 months.

12

Figure 2.2.2 illustrates the consistent decline in participation over time in the 20 to 24 and 25 to 29 year age groups. This selective decline in participation among younger women may be related to the HPV vaccination campaign which commenced in 2007. This is a cause for concern as younger vaccinated women may be becoming complacent about the need for screening, as suggested by a recent publication of an analysis linking VCCR data with the National HPV Vaccination Program Register (NHVPR).21 Continued education of vaccinated women about screening is necessary to maximise protection from cervical cancer. figure 2.2.2 Estimated two year cervical screening rates for women aged 20 to 24 years and 25 to 29 years, 2003-2004 to 2013-2014.

National HPV Vaccination Program

70

60.3%

60.2%

Participation rate (%)

60

58.7%

58.1%

56.3%

54.0%

52.4%

51.7%

52.2%

52.0%

50.8%

43.0%

41.6%

41.3%

41.7%

41.9%

40.8%

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

50 40

48.5%

48.5%

47.9%

47.3%

46.1%

30 20 10

20 to 24 years 25 to 29 years

0 Screening period

2003-2004

2004-2005

2005-2006

2006-2007

2007-2008

2012-2013

2013-2014

21 Budd AC, Brotherton JML, Gertig DM, Chau T, Drennan K, Saville M. Cervical screening rates for women vaccinated against human papillomavirus.

Med J Aust.2014;201:279-282.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

13

2.3 PARTICIPATION BY AREA Method of calculating participation

Limitations of participation statistics by area

The participation rate for age eligible women (i.e. aged 20 to 69 years) in cervical screening for Medicare Locals (MLs), Health regions and Local Government Areas (LGAs) is expressed as a percentage.

Small-area data (e.g. Health regions, LGAs and MLs) are subject to greater measurement error than the data in Sections 2.1 and 2.2. The main source of inaccuracy in the following tables are likely from:

The numerator is the number of women by postcode who had at least one Cervical Screening Test (CST) in the time period and who have not had a hysterectomy according to the information held by the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR).

• an overestimate of women screened due to conservative file matching by the VCCR • applying the national hysterectomy fractions to the relatively small female population resident in the Postal Areas • the proportion of Victorian Pap tests reported by laboratories outside of Victoria which are not reported to the VCCR (this mainly affects areas located on the Victoria/ New South Wales and Victoria/South Australia borders) • the differences between the Australia Post postcodes used to report screening numbers according to address data given by the woman (used as the numerator in calculating participation) and the ABS Postal Areas for which population statistics are available (used as the denominator). It is important to note that although there are commonalities between postcodes and Postal Areas, they are not exact matches and their boundaries can differ. The underlying reason for the differences in these boundaries is that the ABS Postal Areas were created specifically for Census purposes and disseminating statistics, while postcodes are designed to distribute mail.

The denominator is the estimated number of women in each Postal Area22 adjusted to exclude the proportion of women estimated to have had a hysterectomy using the hysterectomy fractions from the National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD).23 To calculate the estimated participation rates for areas, data

by Australia Post postcodes and Postal Areas were mapped to LGAs and ML using conversion files sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Commonwealth Department of Health respectively.

The mapping of the 2013-2014 participation data for LGAs is based on concordances24 consistent with the ABS Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS).25 Participation data by Health regions are calculated as an aggregate of LGAs, while MLs were created based on the Commonwealth Department of Health Postcode to ML concordance file.26

22 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2015, customised report. Victorian Female Estimated Resident Population by Postal Area at 30 June 2013 and 30 June 2014.

23 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2015. Cervical screening in Australia 2012-2013. Cancer series no.93. Cat. no. CAN 91.

Canberra: AIHW. 24 2014 Postcode to LGA converter algorithm (based on 2011 Mesh Block boundaries) supplied by the ABS and based on the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) correspondence.

25 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2011. Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 1 – Main Structure and Greater Capital City Statistical Areas, July 2011. Cat. No: 1270.0.55.001.

26 Australian Government Medicare Local Statistics, Boundary and Concordance files website. http://www.medicarelocals.gov.au/ internet/medicarelocals/publishing.nsf/Content/digital-boundaries, viewed 25 September 2015.

14

When comparing participation rate estimates by geographical area, it should also be noted that these are crude rates, i.e. they have not been age-adjusted. Therefore, areas with older populations will have apparently higher screening rates than areas with a high population of young women because of the strong correlation between age and screening rates.

2.3.1 Participation by Medicare Local In 2011, the Australian Government established the Medicare Local 27 area network to replace the previous Divisions of General Practice. Table 2.3.1 shows the participation rates for the 17 MLs in Victoria, which are partially or entirely located within Victoria, using methods discussed at the beginning of Section 2.3.

Table 2.3.1 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by Medicare Local, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

Medicare Local Number

Medicare Local Name

2012-20131 % screened (95% CI)

2013-20141 % screened (95% CI)

ML201

Inner North West Melbourne

57.0% (56.8%-57.3%)

55.8% (55.5%-56.0%)

ML202

Bayside

65.3% (65.1%-65.5%)

64.2% (63.9%-64.4%)

ML203

South Western Melbourne

53.8% (53.5%-54.1%)

53.1% (52.8%-53.4%)

ML204

Macedon Ranges and North Western Melbourne

56.8% (56.6%-57.1%)

55.9% (55.7%-56.2%)

ML205

Northern Melbourne

59.1% (58.8%-59.3%)

57.8% (57.6%-58.0%)

ML206

Inner East Melbourne

62.9% (62.7%-63.1%)

60.9% (60.7%-61.1%)

ML207

Eastern Melbourne

63.3% (63.0%-63.6%)

62.0% (61.7%-62.3%)

ML208

South Eastern Melbourne

57.1% (56.8%-57.3%)

56.0% (55.7%-56.3%)

ML209

Frankston-Mornington Peninsula

60.3% (60.0%-60.6%)

59.3% (59.0%-59.7%)

ML210

Barwon

64.0% (63.7%-64.4%)

63.2% (62.9%-63.5%)

ML211

Grampians

57.5% (57.1%-57.9%)

56.4% (56.0%-56.9%)

ML212

Great South Coast

62.7% (62.1%-63.3%)

62.4% (61.8%-62.9%)

ML213

Lower Murray

61.7% (60.9%-62.5%)

59.9% (59.1%-60.7%)

ML214

Loddon-Mallee-Murray

63.4% (63.0%-63.8%)

61.8% (61.4%-62.2%)

ML215

Goulburn Valley

59.0% (58.5%-59.4%)

57.4% (56.9%-57.9%)

ML216

Hume

68.2% (67.7%-68.7%)

66.4% (65.8%-66.9%)

ML217

Gippsland

60.7% (60.3%-61.0%)

60.2% (59.8%-60.5%)

1. 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 data: postcodes mapped to ML based on the Commonwealth Department of Health Postal Area to ML concordance file.

Population data adjusted using estimated hysterectomy fractions from the AIHW NHMD. Notes • T he table provides the percentage of women screened as a proportion of the eligible female population (crude rate). Women screened only includes women who have not had a hysterectomy according to information held by the VCCR. • Women screened by the Compass trial are included.

• Periods covered apply to calendar years.

27 http://www.medicarelocals.gov.au, viewed 25 September 2015.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

15

Figure 2.3.1 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by Medicare Local, 2013-2014.

% PARTICIPATION % PARTICIPATION

% PARTICIPATION Less than than 50%50% Less % PARTICIPATION Less than 50% 50% 50%55% - 55% Less than 50% 55% - 60% 50% - 55% 55% - 60% 50% -- 65% 55% 60% 55%65% - 60% 60% - 65% 55% -- 70% 60% Greater 70% 60% -than 65% 65% - 70% 60% - 65% 65% - 70% 65% - 70% Greater than 70% Greater than 70% Greater than 70% ML213

ML213 ML213

ML214

ML216

ML214 ML214

ML211

ML216 ML215 ML216

ML204

ML211 ML204 ML211 ML204

ML215 ML215

ML205

ML205 ML205 ML207 ML201 ML207 ML201 ML206 ML207 ML201 ML206 ML203 ML203 ML202 ML206 ML202 ML203 ML202 ML208 ML208 ML210 ML210 ML208 ML210 ML217 ML217 ML209 ML209 ML217 ML217 ML217 ML209 ML217

INSET: Melbourne and surrounds INSET: Melbourne and surrounds INSET INSET: Melbourne surrounds andand surrounds Melbourne ML214 ML214 ML214 ML215ML215 ML215

ML211 ML211 ML211

See See InsetSee Inset Inset

ML212 ML212 ML212

¯

ML216 ML216 ML216

ML210 ML210 ML210

Medicare Local boundaries have been truncated where they overlap the Victorian border.

This includes the Lower Murray (ML 213), Loddon-Mallee-Murray (ML 214), and Hume (ML 216) Medicare Locals.

Refer to Appendix 3 for a map of Medicare Locals which have not been truncated at the border.

16

ML217 ML217 ML217

2.3.2 Participation by Health Region Victoria is divided into eight Health regions, with five in rural Victoria and three covering metropolitan Melbourne. Using methods discussed at the beginning of Section 2.3, the two year participation rates have been calculated.

Table 2.3.2 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by Health region, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

Region Name

2012-20131 % screened (95% CI)

2013-20141 % screened (95% CI)

Barwon-South Western

63.6% (63.3%-63.9%)

62.9% (62.6%-63.2%)

Eastern Metropolitan

63.0% (62.9%-63.2%)

61.3% (61.2%-61.5%)

Gippsland

60.7% (60.3%-61.0%)

60.2% (59.8%-60.5%)

Grampians

58.6% (58.2%-59.0%)

57.5% (57.1%-57.9%)

Hume

63.2% (62.8%-63.5%)

61.5% (61.1%-61.8%)

Loddon Mallee

63.7% (63.3%-64.0%)

62.2% (61.9%-62.5%)

North and West Metropolitan

56.9% (56.7%-57.0%)

55.8% (55.6%-55.9%)

Southern Metropolitan

61.5% (61.3%-61.6%)

60.4% (60.2%-60.5%)

1. 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 data: participation data by Health region is calculated as an aggregate of LGAs. Postcode/Postal Areas mapped to LGA using a 2014 converter algorithm supplied by the ABS and based on the ASGS correspondence data. Population data adjusted using estimated hysterectomy fractions from the AIHW NHMD. Notes • T he table provides the percentage of women screened as a proportion of the eligible female population (crude rate). Women screened only includes women who have not had a hysterectomy according to information held by the VCCR. • Women screened by the Compass trial are included.

ML214 % PARTICIPATION • Periods covered apply to calendar years.

Less than 50%

ML216

ML215

50% - 55% ML211

55% - 60%

ML204 ML205

Figure 2.3.2 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by Health 60% region, - 65%2013-2014.

ML207 ML201 % PARTICIPATION ML206

65% - 70%

ML203Less than ML202

Greater than 70% ML213

ML210

50%

50%%-PARTICIPATION 55% ML208

50% Less than 55% - 60% 50% - 55%

ML217

60%55% - 65% - 60% ML209

ML217

65%60% - 70% - 65% 65% - 70% Greater than 70%

Greater than 70%

INSET: Melbourne and surrounds Unincorporated Victoria Victoria Unincorporated

Loddon Mallee ML214

Grampians

ML215

ML211

ML212

Barwon-South Western

¯

ML210

NorthSee & West InsetEastern Metro Metro Southern Metro

Hume

ML216

ML217

Gippsland

Unincorporated Victoria refers to the areas within Victoria which are not administered by incorporated local government bodies.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

17

2.3.3 Participation by Local Government Area Within Victoria there are 79 Local Government Areas (LGAs). Using methods discussed at the beginning of Section 2.3, the estimated two year participation rates have been calculated.

Table 2.3.3 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by Local Government Area, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

Health region Barwon-South Western

Eastern Metropolitan

Gippsland

Grampians

LGA Code1

LGA

2012-20132 % screened (95% CI)

2013-2014 2 % screened (95% CI)

21750

Colac-Otway

62.2% (60.9%-63.5%)

63.8% (62.6%-65.1%)

21830

Corangamite

63.1% (61.6%-64.6%)

63.2% (61.7%-64.8%)

22410

Glenelg

57.7% (56.3%-59.0%)

58.8% (57.4%-60.1%)

22750

Greater Geelong

63.3% (62.9%-63.7%)

62.3% (62.0%-62.7%) 62.9% (61.4%-64.3%)

25490

Moyne

63.8% (62.4%-65.3%)

26080

Queenscliffe

74.7% (71.6%-77.8%)

76.2% (73.1%-79.3%)

26260

Southern Grampians

62.3% (60.8%-63.8%)

61.7% (60.2%-63.2%)

26490

Surf Coast

68.3% (67.2%-69.3%)

66.4% (65.4%-67.4%)

26730

Warrnambool

65.3% (64.3%-66.2%)

64.2% (63.2%-65.2%)

21110

Boroondara

67.2% (66.8%-67.6%)

64.8% (64.4%-65.2%)

23670

Knox

62.9% (62.5%-63.4%)

61.8% (61.4%-62.3%)

24210

Manningham

66.4% (65.9%-66.9%)

64.8% (64.3%-65.4%)

24410

Maroondah

61.6% (61.1%-62.2%)

60.4% (59.8%-60.9%)

24970

Monash

58.1% (57.7%-58.5%)

56.5% (56.1%-56.9%)

26980

Whitehorse

61.0% (60.6%-61.5%)

58.7% (58.3%-59.2%)

27450

Yarra Ranges

65.0% (64.5%-65.5%)

63.5% (63.1%-64.0%)

20740

Bass Coast

60.4% (59.3%-61.4%)

60.2% (59.2%-61.3%)

20830

Baw Baw

64.9% (64.0%-65.7%)

63.7% (62.9%-64.6%)

22110

East Gippsland

62.3% (61.4%-63.2%)

61.4% (60.5%-62.3%)

23810

Latrobe

58.0% (57.3%-58.7%)

56.7% (56.0%-57.4%)

26170

South Gippsland

63.6% (62.5%-64.7%)

64.9% (63.8%-66.0%)

26810

Wellington

57.5% (56.6%-58.4%)

58.3% (57.4%-59.2%)

20260

Ararat

55.4% (53.6%-57.3%)

52.3% (50.4%-54.2%)

20570

Ballarat

57.1% (56.5%-57.7%)

56.8% (56.2%-57.4%)

22490

Golden Plains

63.1% (61.8%-64.4%)

62.7% (61.4%-64.0%)

22910

Hepburn

61.8% (60.4%-63.3%)

60.3% (58.8%-61.8%)

22980

Hindmarsh

57.6% (55.0%-60.3%)

52.2% (49.5%-54.9%)

23190

Horsham

62.0% (60.7%-63.3%)

59.5% (58.2%-60.8%)

25150

Moorabool

62.2% (61.2%-63.2%)

60.5% (59.5%-61.5%)

25810

Northern Grampians

52.0% (50.2%-53.7%)

51.0% (49.2%-52.8%)

25990

Pyrenees

56.9% (54.6%-59.2%)

53.8% (51.6%-56.1%)

26890

West Wimmera

54.5% (51.3%-57.7%)

56.1% (52.9%-59.4%)

27630

Yarriambiack

54.9% (52.5%-57.3%)

55.1% (52.7%-57.6%)

1. Refer to Appendix 3 for maps showing LGA codes.

2. 2 012-2013 and 2013-2014 data: Participation data by Health region is calculated as an aggregate of LGAs. Postcode/Postal Areas mapped to LGA using a 2014 converter algorithm supplied by the ABS and based on the ASGS correspondence data. Population data adjusted using estimated hysterectomy fractions from the AIHW NHMD. The table provides the percentage of women screened as a proportion of the eligible female population (crude rate).

Women screened only includes women who have not had a hysterectomy according to information held by the VCCR. Notes • Women screened by the Compass trial are included. • Periods covered apply to calendar years.

18

Health region Hume

Loddon Mallee

North and West Metropolitan

Southern Metropolitan

LGA Code1

LGA

2012-20132 % screened (95% CI)

2013-2014 2 % screened (95% CI)

20110

Alpine

68.4% (66.8%-70.0%)

67.9% (66.2%-69.5%)

21010

Benalla

71.0% (69.5%-72.5%)

67.5% (65.9%-69.0%)

22830

Greater Shepparton

60.3% (59.6%-61.0%)

58.5% (57.7%-59.2%)

23350

Indigo

70.9% (69.5%-72.2%)

70.2% (68.7%-71.6%)

24250

Mansfield

66.4% (64.4%-68.4%)

67.0% (65.0%-69.0%)

24850

Mitchell

56.0% (55.0%-57.0%)

54.9% (54.0%-55.9%)

24900

Moira

56.8% (55.7%-58.0%)

56.4% (55.2%-57.5%)

25620

Murrindindi

61.8% (60.2%-63.4%)

58.9% (57.3%-60.5%)

26430

Strathbogie

64.1% (62.2%-65.9%)

61.7% (59.8%-63.6%)

26670

Towong

68.8% (66.5%-71.2%)

67.5% (65.1%-69.9%)

26700

Wangaratta

70.3% (69.3%-71.4%)

68.7% (67.6%-69.8%)

27170

Wodonga

65.9% (65.0%-66.8%)

63.0% (62.1%-63.9%) 60.9% (58.4%-63.4%)

21270

Buloke

65.7% (63.2%-68.1%)

21370

Campaspe

63.5% (62.6%-64.5%)

62.4% (61.4%-63.4%)

21670

Central Goldfields

55.2% (53.4%-56.9%)

55.5% (53.7%-57.2%)

22250

Gannawarra

59.7% (57.8%-61.6%)

59.1% (57.1%-61.0%)

22620

Greater Bendigo

62.2% (61.6%-62.7%)

60.2% (59.6%-60.7%)

23940

Loddon

54.5% (52.3%-56.7%)

53.0% (50.8%-55.2%)

24130

Macedon Ranges

69.5% (68.7%-70.4%)

68.7% (67.9%-69.6%)

24780

Mildura

61.9% (61.1%-62.7%)

60.1% (59.3%-60.9%)

25430

Mount Alexander

76.3% (75.1%-77.5%)

75.0% (73.7%-76.2%)

26610

Swan Hill

61.8% (60.5%-63.2%)

60.9% (59.6%-62.2%)

20660

Banyule

65.4% (64.9%-65.9%)

64.1% (63.6%-64.6%)

21180

Brimbank

54.9% (54.4%-55.3%)

54.0% (53.6%-54.4%)

21890

Darebin

59.2% (58.7%-59.6%)

58.5% (58.1%-59.0%)

23110

Hobsons Bay

61.7% (61.1%-62.3%)

61.2% (60.6%-61.8%)

23270

Hume

53.5% (53.1%-54.0%)

52.2% (51.8%-52.7%)

24330

Maribyrnong

58.1% (57.5%-58.8%)

57.0% (56.4%-57.6%)

24600

Melbourne

44.4% (43.9%-44.9%)

42.7% (42.2%-43.1%)

24650

Melton

52.8% (52.3%-53.4%)

52.3% (51.8%-52.8%)

25060

Moonee Valley

61.8% (61.3%-62.3%)

60.5% (60.0%-61.0%)

25250

Moreland

59.1% (58.7%-59.6%)

58.8% (58.4%-59.3%)

25710

Nillumbik

72.6% (71.9%-73.2%)

70.6% (69.9%-71.2%)

27070

Whittlesea

55.4% (54.9%-55.8%)

54.0% (53.5%-54.4%)

27260

Wyndham

50.1% (49.7%-50.5%)

49.4% (49.0%-49.9%)

27350

Yarra

66.0% (65.5%-66.5%)

65.0% (64.5%-65.6%)

20910

Bayside

74.0% (73.5%-74.5%)

72.7% (72.1%-73.2%)

21450

Cardinia

58.2% (57.6%-58.9%)

57.6% (57.0%-58.3%)

21610

Casey

57.7% (57.4%-58.1%)

56.1% (55.8%-56.5%) 54.3% (53.8%-54.8%)

22170

Frankston

55.4% (54.9%-55.8%)

22310

Glen Eira

64.9% (64.5%-65.4%)

62.9% (62.4%-63.3%)

22670

Greater Dandenong

55.2% (54.7%-55.7%)

54.9% (54.4%-55.3%)

23430

Kingston

62.0% (61.5%-62.4%)

61.8% (61.4%-62.3%)

25340

Mornington Peninsula

65.0% (64.5%-65.5%)

64.2% (63.7%-64.6%)

25900

Port Phillip

62.7% (62.2%-63.2%)

61.9% (61.4%-62.4%)

26350

Stonnington

66.5% (66.0%-67.0%)

65.0% (64.5%-65.5%)

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

19

Figure 2.3.3 Estimated two year cervical screening rates by Local Government Area, 2013-2014.

% PARTICIPATION

ML214

ML216

% PARTICIPATION

% PARTICIPATION Less than 50%

ML215

Less than 50%

PARTICIPATION Less than%50% 50% 50% - 55% - 55% 55% - 60% Less than 50% 50% - 55% 55% - 60%

ML211

ML204

60% - 65%

50% - 55%

ML205

55% - 60% 65%60% - 70% - 65% 55% - 60%

Greater than 70% 60% - 65% 65% - 70%

Unincorporated 60%Victoria - 65%

65% - 70%than 70% Greater

ML203

65% - 70%

ML202

Greater than 70%

Greater than 70%

ML213

Unincorporated Victoria Unincorporated Victoria

ML207

ML201 ML206

ML208

ML210 ML209

ML217 ML217

INSET: Melbourne and INSET: Melbourne andsurrounds surrounds INSET: Melbourne and surrounds INSET Melbourne and surrounds

ML214

ML215

ML211

See Inset See

ML212

¯

ML216

See Inset Inset ML210

Unincorporated Victoria refers to the areas within Victoria which are not administered by incorporated local government bodies.

Refer to Appendix 3 for maps showing Victorian LGA codes.

20

ML217

2.4 CERVICAL SCREENING TESTS COLLECTED

BY NURSES The credentialling of nurses every three years to perform Cervical Screening Tests (CSTs) recognises nurses’ expertise and dedication to the Victorian Cervical Screening Program.

This process has been set in place to allow nurses to be accountable to the public and responsible for their individual practice while at the same time maintaining a standard of excellence. The credentialling program is coordinated by PapScreen Victoria.

The Registry has included data on CSTs where nurses are credentialled and funded by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to be eligible for their own ‘practice number’ at VCS Pathology. Also included in the data are CSTs from nurses using private pathology services. These nurses provide cervical screening data to PapScreen Victoria, which is then provided to the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR) for analysis.

During 2014, a total of 36,410 CSTs were collected and reported to the Registry by 443 credentialled nurses. This number represents 6.1% of all CSTs collected in Victoria during 2014.

This figure reflects the significant growth in the role of nurses in cervical screening, with the proportion of CSTs performed by nurses having steadily increased over the years from an initial reported figure of 0.8% (5,170 tests) in 1996. Table 2.4 shows the number and proportion of CSTs collected by nurses over the last 10 years.

Table 2.4 Proportion of Cervical Screening Tests collected by nurses, 2005-2014.

Year

Number of CSTs collected by nurses

% of all Victorian CSTs

2005

14,375

2.5%

2006

16,035

2.8%

2007

18,651

3.2%

2008

21,668

3.8%

2009

25,594

4.4%

2010

28,546

5.0%

2011

31,613

5.5%

2012

33,875

5.6%

2013

38,012

6.3%

2014

36,410

6.1%

Nurse cervical screening data highlight the increasingly important role that nurses have in the delivery of the Victorian Cervical Screening Program, particularly in relation to the increasing number of CSTs collected by nurses in recent years and the high quality of their tests. As observed in recent years, CSTs collected by nurses are more likely to have an endocervical component, which is considered to be a reflection of test quality.28 General Practice and Community Health settings remain the main types of practices where nurses collect CSTs (85% of practice types in 2014).29 During 2014, 40.7% of the CSTs collected by nurses were from women over 50 years of age compared with 32.7% collected by other provider types in Victoria during this period. 30

2.4.1 Proportion of Cervical Screening Tests collected by nurses by Health region Data on CSTs collected by nurses were analysed by Health region.31 The following table and figure show that the rural Health regions had a higher proportion of tests collected by nurses, for women with a cervix, than those within metropolitan Melbourne. Between 2013 and 2014 the proportion of CSTs collected by nurses decreased across all Health regions except Gippsland. The largest change between 2013 and 2014 was seen in the Grampians region, which saw a three percent reduction in the number of tests.

Table 2.4.1 Cervical Screening Tests collected by nurses,

by Health region, 2014.

Number of CSTs collected by nurses in 20141

Number of nurses in each region in 20142

% of CSTs collected by nurses in 2014

% of CSTs collected by nurses in 2013

BarwonSouth Western

3,899

47

10.8%

11.4%

Eastern Metropolitan

2,076

33

2.0%

2.2%

Gippsland

2,455

27

10.5%

10.5%

Grampians

3,248

28

16.1%

19.1%

Health region

Hume

3,387

55

13.6%

14.3%

Loddon Mallee

6,296

63

22.0%

22.2%

North and West Metropolitan

6,542

107

3.7%

3.9%

Southern Metropolitan

2,904

35

2.1%

2.3%

1. Excludes 274 post-hysterectomy tests, two interstate postcodes and 69 tests where postcode was missing or not able to be matched.

2. E xcludes 40 nurses who do not collect postcode data when submitted to PapScreen Victoria and eight nurses with interstate postcodes.

Notes • Department of Health, Modelling GIS and Planning Products Unit (2013).

Concordance file created using Australia Post postcode file, ABS digital geographic boundaries (Cat. no. 1270.0.55.006) and Health regions.

The 5,258 tests from nurses using private pathology services are not included in these statistics as postcode was not collected.

28 VCCR, Evaluation of Cervical Screening Tests collected by Nurses in Victoria during 2014, p. 8. Available from: http://www.vccr.org/data-research/ statistical-reports/annual-nurse-reports.

29 Ibid p. 4.

30 Ibid p. 6.

31 Ibid p. 7.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

21

Figure 2.4.1 Proportion of Cervical Screening Tests collected by nurses, by Health region, 2014.

% OF CSTs COLLECTED BY NURSES

% of CSTs COLLECTEDLess BY than NURSES 5% 5% - 10% Less than 5% 10% - 15%

5% - 10% 15% - 20% Greater than 20% 10% - 15%

Unincorporated Victoria

15% - 20%

Greater than 20% Unincorporated Victoria Loddon Mallee

Grampians

Barwon-South Western

Hume

North Eastern & West Metro Metro Southern Metro

Gippsland

ÂŻ Unincorporated Victoria refers to the areas within Victoria which are not administered by incorporated local government bodies.

22

2.5 CLOSING THE DATA GAPS: IDENTIFYING ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLE, AND COLLECTING COUNTRY OF BIRTH AND LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has shown that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are four times more likely to die of cervical cancer than non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. 32 The national ‘Closing the Gap’ strategy is a commitment by all Australian Governments to overcome disadvantage and improve the lives and health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.33 Women from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds have also been identified as an under-screened group.34 Strategies for engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and CALD women, and increasing participation, are a priority for the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) as outlined in the Victorian Public Health and Well Being Plan 2011-2015 and the previous governments’ Victorian Cancer Action Plan (2008-2011).

Where provided by practitioners, laboratories, and directly by women through updates of personal information, the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR) will record if a woman has identified as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, as well as her Country of Birth and Language Spoken at Home, as indicators of cultural diversity.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women In 2014, the overall percentage of women screened who had their Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status recorded by the VCCR was 23.9% (n= 135,436). Table 2.5.1 shows the number of women by their identification as an Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander person, the proportion for those on the VCCR whom data was collected, and a comparison to data from the 2011 Census.

Table 2.5.1 Reporting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status of women screened during 2014.

Number

% of those with status collected on the VCCR (135,436)

% of Victorian people reporting status in 2011 Census1

1,220

0.90%

0.68%

Torres Strait Islander

34

0.03%

0.04%

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

157

0.12%

0.02%

Not Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander

134,019

98.95%

99.26%

6

< 0.01%

0.0%

Total number of persons with status reported

135,436

100%

100%

Number of persons where status was not reported

432,236

–

–

Status

Aboriginal

Declined to answer

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2075.0 – Census of Population and Housing – Counts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2011. First issue released 21/06/2012. Table 3B, Census Counts, Indigenous Status – 2001-2011, Victorian data.

Notes • Women screened by the Compass trial are included.

VCCR is working closely with Program Partners including the DHHS, PapScreen Victoria and VCS Pathology to improve the identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and the ongoing collection and reporting of CALD data to the Registry. VCS Pathology continues to work with nurses who collect Cervical Screening Tests (CSTs), to support and encourage the identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and the recording of this information on the VCS Pathology Request Forms. Of all practitioner types, nurses have the highest rate of reporting these data, with 97.0% of CSTs collected by nurses during 2014 including this information. Table 2.5.2 shows the number and proportion of Pap tests by practitioner type, where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander information was recorded on the woman’s record.

Table 2.5.2 Number and proportion of Pap tests collected during 2014 with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status recorded by Practitioner type.

Practitioner type

Number

%

General Practitioner

86,570

18.4%

Hospital

1,560

22.9%

Nurse

34,857

97.0%

Obstetrician and Gynaecologist

16,010

21.0%

518

22.9%

Other (e.g. hospitals and dysplasia clinics)

Notes • E xcludes women who had a HPV DNA test (without Liquid Based Cytology) as part of the Compass Trial.

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) women During 2014, the overall percentage of women screened who had a Country of Birth recorded by the VCCR was 19.8%.35 The most common countries of birth outside of Australia were Vietnam, England, New Zealand, United Kingdom (includes Channel Islands and Isle of Man),36 China, India, Philippines, Italy, Greece and Malaysia.

The overall percentage of women screened during 2014 who had Language Spoken at Home recorded was 20.6%.37 The most common languages reported other than English were Vietnamese, Italian, Greek, Mandarin, Chinese (not elsewhere classified), Arabic, Spanish, Cantonese, Turkish and French.

32 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2015. Cervical screening in Australia 2012-2013. Cancer series no.93. Cat. no. CAN 91.

Canberra: AIHW. 33 Council of Australian Governments, Closing the Gap in Indigenous Disadvantage website. https://www.coag.gov.au/closing_the_gap_in_ indigenous_disadvantage, viewed 9 November 2015.

34 Mullins R 2006. Evaluation of the impact of PapScreen’s Campaign on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Women. Melbourne: Cancer Council Victoria. Available here: http://www.cancervic.org.au/ downloads/cbrc_research_papers/Cervical_cancer_research/06rep_ rm_eval_PapScreen_campaign_CALD_women.pdf.

35 Women screened by the Compass trial are included.

36 United Kingdom (includes Channel Islands and Isle of Man) is assigned when the Country of Birth is not further specified.

37 Women screened by the Compass trial are included.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

23

While the current Australian screening policy recommends screening every two years after a negative Pap test report, a proportion of women are screened more frequently. A small level of early re-screening can be justified on the basis of a past history of abnormality.

In late 2000, the National Cervical Screening Program adopted the following definition of early re-screening: Early re-screening is the repeating of a Pap test within 21 months of a negative Pap test report, except for women who are being followed up in accordance with the NHMRC guidelines for the management of cervical abnormalities.

This definition recognises that some re-screening may occur opportunistically between 21 and 24 months after a negative Pap test report and this may be cost-effective.

To determine how many women are truly screened early, women with a prior cytological or histological abnormality recorded by the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR) within 36 months of the index Pap test were excluded. This is in line with the national reporting of indicators by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) for the same period and is also consistent with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines.

Table 2.6 shows the number of subsequent Cervical Screening Tests (CSTs) over a 21 month period for women who received a negative Pap test report in February of 2013. These data show that 88.5% of women aged 20 to 69 years who had a negative Pap test in February 2013 had no further tests within the next 21 months. Over the last decade there has been an increase in the proportion of women with no repeat CSTs, indicating a decreasing rate of early re-screening.

Of the women who had an index Pap test during February of 2013, 11.5% were subsequently re-screened early (with at least one CST) over the next 21 months. As seen in Figure 2.6, some variation in early re-screening occurs by age group.

24

Table 2.6 Subsequent Cervical Screening Tests within a 21 month period for women with a negative Pap test in February of 2013.

Number of subsequent CSTs since February 2013

%

No further tests

88.5%

1

11.1%

2

0.4%

3

< 0.1%

4

0.0% < 0.01%

5 or more

Notes â&#x20AC;˘ T his data includes the 17 women who had an index Pap test during February of 2013, and then a HPV DNA test as part of the Compass trial within the next 21 months. As the Compass Pilot trial did not commence until October of 2013 only Pap tests are considered for index tests.

Figure 2.6 Percentage of women by age group who had an index Pap test in February of 2013 and then re-screened early.

14

12.5%

12 Early re-screening (%)

2.6 FREQUENCY OF EARLY RE-SCREENING

10

12.3%

12.1%

10.2% 9.0%

8 6 4 2 0

Age group

20 to 29 years

30 to 39 years

40 to 49 years

50 to 59 years

60 to 69 years

Notes â&#x20AC;˘ T his data includes the 17 women who had an index Pap test during February of 2013, and then a HPV DNA test as part of the Compass trial within the next 21 months. As the Compass Pilot trial did not commence until October of 2013 only Pap tests are considered for index tests.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

25

3. cytology reports Cytology reports received by the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR) are coded according to the 2006 Cytology Coding Schedule (refer to Appendix 1). From this coding, Pap test results are categorised into the broader groups of unsatisfactory, negative, having no endocervical component, and having a squamous abnormality or endocervical abnormality. These groupings are consistent with the cytology result types reported to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) for the national indicators for the same period.

For this analysis, the results of 582,744 Pap tests from any provider type were considered. These include Pap tests which were collected during 2014, from women of any age, but exclude post-hysterectomy smears (also referred to as vault smears).

3.1 UNSATISFACTORY PAP TESTS An unsatisfactory Pap test result is defined as having:

3.3 PAP TESTS WITHOUT AN ENDOCERVICAL COMPONENT The presence of endocervical cells within a Pap test specimen is considered to be an indicator that the transformation zone (TZ) of the cervix has been sampled. Most pre-cancerous abnormalities of the cervix arise in the TZ. Pap tests identified as not containing an endocervical component (ECC) are coded as having a result of E0 for the endocervical cell result.

Of the Pap test results received during 2014 by the VCCR, 158,010 were recorded as not having an ECC present in the specimen. This equates to 27.1% of Pap tests.

As illustrated in Figure 3.3, the proportion of Pap tests without an ECC has gradually increased from 21.4% in 2005 to 27.1% in 2014 (p < 0.0001).

Figure 3.3 Percentage of Pap tests without an endocervical component, 2005-2014.

â&#x20AC;˘ unsatisfactory squamous cells (SU) and unsatisfactory endocervical cells (EU), or â&#x20AC;˘ unsatisfactory squamous cells (SU) and no endocervical cells (E0) or no endocervical abnormality (E1).

25 21.4%

23.6% 23.7% 22.4% 23.0%

25.8% 24.5% 25.1%

26.9% 27.1%

20 Percentage

Of Pap test results received during 2014 by the VCCR, 15,463 were recorded as having an unsatisfactory result.

This equates to 2.7% of Pap tests. The National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council (NPAAC) Performance measures for Australian laboratories reporting cervical cytology (NPAAC 2006) includes a recommended standard for the proportion of specimens reported as unsatisfactory as between 0.5% and 5.0% of all specimens reported.38

30

15 10 5 0

Year

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

3.2 NEGATIVE PAP TESTS A negative Pap test result is defined as having squamous cells with no abnormality (S1) and no endocervical cells (E0) or no endocervical abnormality (E1).

Of the Pap test results received during 2014 by the VCCR, 529,463 were recorded as having a negative result. This equates to 90.9% of Pap tests.

38 National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council (NPAAC).

Performance Measures for Australian Laboratories Reporting Cervical Cytology (Third Edition 2015), Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health.

26

The proportion of Pap tests containing an ECC has also been declining at a national level. VCCR therefore conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the hypothesis that ECC negative (ECC-) Pap tests may be associated with reduced sensitivity. This study confirmed that women without ECC had a lower rate of confirmed HGA and no significant increase in the rate of invasive cervical cancer following ECCtests and the results do not support differential (accelerated) follow-up in women with a negative test without an ECC. 39

39 Sultana F, English DR, Simpson JA, Canfell K, Gertig DM, Saville M. High-grade cervical abnormalities and cervical cancer in women following a negative Pap smear with and without an endocervical component: A cohort study with 10 years of follow-up. Int J Cancer 2014 Sept 1;135(5):12139.

3.4 PAP TESTS WITH A SQUAMOUS ABNORMALITY

3.5 PAP TESTS WITH AN ENDOCERVICAL ABNORMALITY

As seen in Table 3.4, the number of Pap tests collected during 2014 with a squamous cell abnormality (an abnormality of possible low-grade lesion or worse) was 37,492, which equates to 6.4% of all Pap tests for the year. The proportion of Pap tests with definite high-grade abnormality (i.e. high-grade lesion with or without possible micro-invasion or invasion, invasive squamous cell carcinoma) was reported as 0.8% in 2014.

The presence of endocervical cells within a Pap test specimen is necessary for the detection and reporting of glandular abnormalities including atypical cells, possible high-grade lesions, endocervical adenocarcinoma in situ and adenocarcinoma.

Number

%

Possible low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) (S2)

17,630

3.0%

The following table shows the proportion of Pap tests for 2014 where an endocervical abnormality was detected. Pap tests which are known to have been collected post-hysterectomy are excluded. For 2014, the total number of Pap tests with an endocervical abnormality (atypical endocervical cells of uncertain significance or worse) was 535, which equates to fewer than 0.1% of all Pap tests for the year.

Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) (S3)

11,786

2.0%

Table 3.5 Number and percent of Pap tests collected in 2014 with an endocervical abnormality.

Possible high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) (S4)

3,585

0.6%

Endocervical component code

Number

%

High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) (S5)

4,385

0.8%

Atypical endocervical cells of uncertain significance (E2)

269

< 0.1%

High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) with possible microinvasion/invasion (S6)

72

< 0.1%

Possible high-grade endocervical glandular lesion (E3)

173

< 0.1%

Adenocarcinoma in situ (E4)

67

< 0.1%

Squamous carcinoma (S7)

34

Adenocarcinoma in situ with possible micro-invasion/invasion (E5)

9

< 0.01%

Adenocarcinoma (E6)

17

< 0.01%

Table 3.4 Number and percent of Pap tests collected in 2014 with a squamous abnormality.

Squamous cell code

< 0.01%

3.6 TYPE OF TESTS As per the Cytology Coding Schedule (Appendix 1), the VCCR records the type of Pap test taken as: • conventional cytology (A1) • liquid-based specimen (A2), or • split sample, i.e. conventional and liquid based specimen (A3).

During 2014, the proportion of liquid-based tests (A2 and A3) was 5.0% of all tests reported to the Registry. Nearly all of these tests were ‘split samples’ (A3), where the conventional Pap smear is accompanied by the liquid-based specimen.

Only 0.5% of all Pap tests were liquid-based specimens only (i.e. A2).

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

27

4. HISTOLOGY REPORTS This section describes the histology reports that were notified to the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR) during 2014.

Although the reporting of histology results was not mandatory during 2014, the majority of all relevant cervical biopsies were reported to the VCCR for this period. From October 2015, the new Victorian Improving Cancer Outcomes Act requires mandatory reporting of all cervical screening tests and relevant histology to the Registry. All cancers must also be notified to the Victorian Cancer Registry by laboratories, hospitals and the VCCR. In 2014, there were 21,627 histology reports relating to the cervix received by the VCCR. The following table shows the distribution of histology findings for 2014. Note that data presented in Table 4 includes all histology reports received by the VCCR, and are not restricted to the most severe report for a woman.

Table 4 Histology findings reported to the VCCR in 2014.

Histology finding1

Squamous abnormality

Number

%

Squamous cell carcinoma, invasive

85

0.4%

Squamous cell carcinoma, micro-invasive

27

0.1%

High-grade squamous abnormality, CIN III

2,659

12.3%

High-grade squamous abnormality, CIN II

1,848

8.5%

High-grade squamous abnormality, CIN not otherwise specified

188

0.9%

3,292

15.2%

Adenosquamous carcinoma

9

< 0.1%

Endocervical adenocarcinoma, invasive

67

0.3%

Endocervical adenocarcinoma, micro-invasive

4

< 0.1%

High-grade carcinoma in situ/adenocarcinoma in situ

62

0.3%

High-grade endocervical abnormality, adenocarcinoma in situ

112

0.5%

High-grade endocervical abnormality, endocervical dysplasia

8

< 0.1%

Endocervical atypia

2

< 0.1%

14

< 0.1%

12,941

59.8%

309

1.4%

21,627

100%

Low-grade squamous abnormality

Endocervical abnormality

Carcinoma of the cervix â&#x20AC;&#x201C; other Benign changes/normal Unsatisfactory TOTAL

2

1. The number of histology reports notified to the VCCR as at 6 July 2015.

2. C arcinoma of the cervix â&#x20AC;&#x201C; other: includes small cell carcinoma and other malignant lesions (may include tumours of non-epithelial origin).

28

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

29

5. HIGH-GRADE ABNORMALITY DETECTION RATES In 2014, the overall rate of histologically-confirmed high-grade abnormalities detected in Victoria for women aged 20 to 69 years was 6.88 per 1,000 women screened.40 Figure 5.1 illustrates the detection rate of histologically-confirmed high-grade intraepithelial abnormalities per 1,000 screened women for each year from 2010 to 2014 by five year age group. The graph clearly illustrates that younger women have a much higher rate of high-grade abnormalities than older women. The higher rates of abnormality in younger women are a result of incident HPV infection following the onset of sexual activity. The youngest HPV vaccinated women (aged 12 years during the first year of the HPV vaccination program), who are less likely to have been infected with high-risk HPV types through sexual activity, are now commencing cervical screening. Notable in the data are the year-on-year declines in the rate for the youngest women (aged 20 to 24 years), subsequent to the implementation of the HPV vaccination program between 2007 and 2009. Historically this age group had the highest rates of abnormalities but from 2010 the rate has been higher amongst 25 to 29 year olds. Since 2008, the rate in 20 to 24 year olds has fallen from 21.1 (not shown in figure) to 11.0 per 1,000 in 2014 (p< 0.0001) (2009=18.7; 2010=17.9; 2011=15.8; 2012=15.3; 2013=13.5). figure 5.1 Detection rate of high-grade intraepithelial abnormalities (histologically-confirmed) from 2010-2014 per 1,000 screened women.

20 18

Rate per 1,000 screened women

16 14 12 10 8 6 2010 2011

4

2012 2013

2

2014

0 Age group 2014 rates by age group

20 to 24 years

25 to 29 years

30 to 34 years

35 to 39 years

40 to 44 years

45 to 49 years

50 to 54 years

55 to 59 years

60 to 64 years

65 to 69 years

11.0%

15.5%

12.8%

8.4%

5.8%

3.5%

2.1%

1.5%

1.3%

1.0%

Interestingly, following an underlying increasing trend in incidence, the high-grade detection rate for 25 to 29 year old women for 2014 is slightly lower than in previous years (2008=18.4, 2009=18.9, 2010=18.1, 2011=18.8, 2012=18.8, 2013=17.7, 2014= 15.5).

This suggests that the vaccination coverage rate in this age group may now be sufficient to be preventing new infections and high-grade disease, despite many women in this age group having been sexually active prior to vaccination.

According to the National HPV Vaccination Program Register (NHVPR), Victorian women aged 15 to 19 years in 2014 have a notified three-dose vaccine coverage of 72.5%, those aged 20 to 24 years have a notified coverage of 61.3% and those aged 25 to 29 years have a notified coverage of 33.2% (NHVPR, unpublished data).

40 Note that the method used to calculate the rate of high-grade abnormalities is consistent with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Indicator 4.2 (Refer to: AIHW 2015. Cervical screening in Australia 2012-2013. Cancer series no.93. Cat. no. CAN 91. Canberra: AIHW). The denominator also includes a small number of women who were screened by a HPV DNA test (without Liquid Based Cytology) as part of the Compass trial. Refer to information about the Compass trial in Section 1.6.

30

Figure 5.2 shows the rate of histologically-confirmed high-grade cervical abnormalities by year since 2000, for young women (< 20 years, 20 to 24 years, 25 to 29 years, 30 to 34 years) and those 35+ years of age. The previously noted decline in women under 20 years of age (following the implementation of the National HPV Vaccination Program between 2007-2009) is continuing, with the rate more than halving from 11 cases per 1,000 women screened in 2006 down to less than four cases per 1,000 in 2014 (p< 0.0001). Also notable is the declining high-grade detection rate for women aged 20 to 24 years, with the rate progressively and continuously declining since 2008.

Figure 5.2 Trends in high-grade cervical abnormalities (histologically-confirmed) by age, 2000-2014, as recorded on the VCCR. 25

20

Rate per 1,000 screened women

2014 rates 15.5 15 12.8

10

11.0

5

3.8 3.8

0 Year

< 20 years 2000

20 to 24 years 2001

2002

25 to 29 years 2003

30 to 34 years 2004

2005

35+ years 2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Notes â&#x20AC;˘ 35+yrs includes all women aged 35 years or older and is not restricted to 69 years.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

31

6. CORRELATION BETWEEN CYTOLOGY and HISTOLOGY REPORTS Tables 6.1 and 6.2 show the correlation between cytology results and histology findings. The correlation is restricted to cytology performed in 2013 where a subsequent histology test was reported within six months. Colposcopy reports, without histological confirmation, have been excluded from this analysis.

reporting indicators. It is based on the test, not the woman, and these data include women aged 20 to 69 years at the time of the cytology test. They also include the records of women who reside outside of Victoria but have data recorded on the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR).

In interpreting this information, it is important to consider that only a minority of low-grade cytology (atypia and CINI) is further investigated by colposcopy or biopsy, and an even smaller percentage of negative cytology reports are followed by colposcopy or biopsy. Women who have a biopsy are likely to be an atypical subset of the whole group of women with negative or low-grade cytology reports.

Where a definite high-grade squamous cytology result was reported, 79.9% (2,893/3,621) of cytology tests were subsequently followed by a high-grade histology at biopsy (including high-grade CIN not otherwise specified, CINII, CINIII and micro-invasive and invasive squamous carcinoma).

This figure represents the positive predictive value of a high-grade cytology report for high-grade squamous histology.

The National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council (NPAAC) performance standards require that not less than 65% of cytology specimens with a definite high-grade epithelial abnormality must be confirmed on histology within six months as having a high-grade abnormality or cancer.41

The correlation data presented uses the Cytology Coding Schedule implemented in July 2006, which is based on the Australian Modified Bethesda System of 2004 (refer to Appendix 1). The following correlation tables compare the cytology result with the most severe histology finding within a six month period (including same day), for squamous and endocervical abnormalities. The histology classification and method of correlation presented is consistent with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) national

As seen in Table 6.1 there was one case of invasive cervical cancer and two cases of micro-invasive cervical cancer reported on histology within six months of a low-grade squamous cytology in 2013.

Table 6.1 Correlation of squamous cytology to the most serious squamous histology within six months, for women aged 20 to 69 years, for cytology tests performed in 2013.

Cytology Prediction (based on squamous cell code) Negative

Possible Low-grade

1

S1

S2

S3 %

S4

Number

%

S5

Number

%

SCC 4

High-grade with possible micro-invasion / invasion S6

Number

%

S7

Negative (HS01)

3,953

79.4%

1,851

52.8%

768

32.1%

1,041

33.0%

370

10.2%

2

3.1%

2

8.3%

800

16.1%

1,222

34.9%

1,162

48.6%

629

19.9%

358

9.9%

2

3.1%

0

0.0%

11

0.2%

32

0.9%

18

0.8%

57

1.8%

60

1.7%

3

4.6%

0

0.0%

High-grade abnormality CIN II (HS03.2)

108

2.2%

246

7.0%

309

12.9%

612

19.4%

875

24.2%

3

4.6%

0

0.0%

High-grade abnormality CIN III (HS03.3)

105

2.1%

154

4.4%

130

5.4%

807

25.6%

1,911

52.8%

34

52.3%

4

16.7%

SCC – micro-invasive (HS04.1)

1

0.0%

0

0.0%

2

0.1%

4

0.1%

25

0.7%

8

12.3%

2

8.3%

SCC – invasive (HS04.2)

2

< 0.1%

1

< 0.1%

1

< 0.1%

6

0.2%

22

0.6%

13

20.0%

16

66.7%

4,980

100%

3,506

100%

2,390

100%

3,156

100%

3,621

100%

65

100%

24

100%

Totals

Number

High-grade3

Number

High-grade abnormality CIN not otherwise specified (HS03.1)

%

Possible High-grade2

Histology finding

Low-grade abnormality (HS02)

Squamous abnormality

Low-grade

Number

%

Number

%

1. Negative cytology: no abnormal squamous cells or only reactive changes.

2. Possible high-grade cytology: includes possible high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion.

3. High-grade cytology: includes high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion.

4. S CC: Squamous cell carcinoma.

Notes • The correlation excludes diagnosis based on colposcopic impression alone. This analysis allows for cytology to be the same day as cancer diagnosis.

32

pre-cancer (occasionally) and cancer (rarely). The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines 42 recommend colposcopy as an initial evaluation because of the risk of invasive cancer. 43 As seen in Table 6.2, of the 31 cytology reports of ‘atypical endocervical or glandular cells of undetermined significance’ (E2), two of those who underwent histological evaluation within six months were subsequently diagnosed with micro-invasive or invasive cancer.

Women with a Pap test report of ‘atypical endocervical or glandular cells of uncertain significance’ (E2) have glandular (or endocervical) cells on their smear which, in the opinion of the reporting pathologist, appear unusual but are not sufficiently abnormal to justify a more significant diagnosis.

Unfortunately there is overlap in the cellular features caused by benign, inflammatory changes (by far the most common cause) and more significant processes such as

Table 6.2 Correlation of endocervical cytology to the most serious endocervical histology within six months, for women aged 20 to 69 years, for cytology tests performed in 2013.

Endocervical abnormality

Cytology prediction (based on endocervical cell code) Negative

Atypical endocervical cells of unknown significance 4

Possible High-grade5

AIS1

AIS2 with possible microinvasion / invasion

Adenocarcinoma

E1

E2

E3

E4

E5

E6

Histology finding

Number

Negative (HE01)

1,958

95.3%

10

32.3%

4

8.0%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

Endocervical atypia (HE02)

0

0.0%

1

3.2%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

High-grade endocervical abnormality, endocervical dysplasia (HE03.1)

13

0.6%

1

3.2%

1

2.0%

2

3.2%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

High-grade endocervical abnormality, AIS1 (HE03.2)

30

1.5%

5

16.1%

20

40.0%

33

53.2%

1

14.3%

1

8.3%

High-grade carcinoma in situ / AIS1 (HE03.3)

33

1.6%

12

38.7%

17

34.0%

16

25.8%

2

28.6%

0

0.0%

Endocervical adenocarcinoma – micro-invasive (HE04.1)

5

0.2%

1

3.2%

2

4.0%

1

1.6%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

Endocervical adenocarcinoma – invasive2 (HE04.2)

12

0.6%

1

3.2%

5

10.0%

8

12.9%

3

42.9%

9

75.0%

Adenosquamous carcinoma (HE04.3)

4

0.2%

0

0.0%

1

2.0%

2

3.2%

1

14.3%

2

16.7%

Carcinoma of the cervix – other 3 (HE04.4)

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

2,055

100%

31

100%

50

100%

62

100%

7

100%

12

100%

Totals

%

Number

%

Number

%

Number

%

Number

%

Number

%

1. AIS: Adenocarcinoma in situ.

2. Endocervical adenocarcinoma – invasive: includes adenocarcinoma and embryonal/clear cell carcinoma.

3. C arcinoma of the cervix – other: includes small cell carcinoma and other malignant lesions (may include tumours of non-epithelial origin).

4. Glandular cytology: includes atypical glandular cells of uncertain significance (E2).

5. Possible high-grade cytology: includes possible high-grade endocervical glandular lesion.

Notes • The correlation excludes diagnosis based on colposcopic impression alone. This analysis allows for cytology to be the same day as cancer diagnosis.

41 National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council (NPAAC) 2006. Performance Measures for Australian Laboratories Reporting Cervical Cytology, Canberra: Department of Health and Ageing.

42 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 2005. Screening to prevent cervical cancer: guidelines for the management of asymptomatic women with screen-detected abnormalities, Canberra: NHMRC. 43 Mitchell HS. Outcome after a cytological prediction of glandular abnormality. Aust NZJ Obstet Gynaecol. 2004; 44(5):436-40.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

33

7. FOLLOW-UP and REMINDER PROGRAM The Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR) Reminder and Follow-up Protocol (refer to Appendix 2) adheres to the 2005 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines.

As part of the follow-up service provided by VCCR, a total of 428,013 follow-up and reminder letters were mailed to women and practitioners in 2014.

Second reminder letters were implemented as part of the routine correspondence of the VCCR in 2012 following a successful pilot in 2011. All letters are printed in-house on a weekly basis for mail-out. Ongoing funding for the second reminder letter is subject to evaluating and monitoring the success of the initiative with regards to the response by women and economic viability. Based upon the positive outcomes of the evaluation report for the period 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has extended the funding for the second reminder initiative until June 2016.

The following is a summary of the VCCR follow-up activities during 2014.

First reminders to women Between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2014, 289,433 first reminder letters were sent to women in the categories shown in Table 7.

Of the 275,554 reminders sent after a negative Pap test, 107,793 (39%) women had a subsequent Pap test within three months of the date of the reminder.

Follow-up During 2014, the VCCR sent out 1,737 questionnaires to practitioners seeking further information after a high-grade abnormality on Pap test and 4,895 after a low-grade abnormality. These questionnaires are part of the follow-up of abnormal tests and seek information on colposcopy or biopsy to alter the follow-up interval accordingly. The VCCR also sent out 13,729 reminder letters to practitioners, following low-grade or unsatisfactory Pap tests.

During the year, 697 women with a high-grade abnormality required further follow-up by phone call as no further information had been received by five and a half months after their Pap test. For these women, at least one phone call to the practitioner was made to ascertain follow-up, with many requiring additional calls. In 434 cases, the Registry sent letters to these women, mostly by registered mail to ensure that they were aware of their abnormality. In 2014, 8,011 Victorian women had a high-grade abnormality reported on one or more of their Pap tests, 7,251 (91%) of whom were followed up with colposcopy and/or biopsy within the following six to nine months. A further 482 (6%) women with high-grade abnormalities predicted on their Pap tests in 2014 were followed up with a Pap test only. For women who had low-grade abnormalities requiring further investigation, on whom the VCCR had not received follow-up information, 2,459 letters were sent to these women in 2014. The VCCR followed up 170 non-cervical abnormalities with letters to the practitioners seeking information about further investigations.

Second reminders to women Between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2014, 115,156 second reminder letters were sent to women, in the categories shown in Table 7.

Of the 109,560 reminders sent after a negative Pap test, 25,197 (23%) women had a subsequent Pap test within three months of the date of the reminder.

Table 7 Number of first and second reminder letters sent to women by the VCCR in 2014.

Most recent Pap test report category

First reminders

Second reminders

High-grade – with subsequent biopsy

1,163

421

High-grade – no subsequent Pap test by 12 months

121

43

Low-grade – with subsequent biopsy or colposcopy

1,876

671

Low-grade – previous test abnormal or fluctuating abnormality

771

295

Low-grade – aged over 30 with no negative cytology in previous three years

632

331

Low-grade – all other women

5,766

2,058

Negative with previous abnormal

25,716

10,852

Negative

249,838

98,708

Unsatisfactory with previous abnormal Unsatisfactory

34

166

68

3,384

1,709

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

35

8. CERVICAL CANCER INCIDENCE and MORTALITY IN VICTORIA The aim of the Cervical Screening Program is to reduce the incidence of and mortality from cervical cancer. Data on cancer incidence and mortality are collected by the Victorian Cancer Registry (VCR) and notifications are compulsory from laboratories, hospitals and the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR).

During 2014, 177 new cases of cervical cancer (all types) were reported to the VCR, and 53 Victorian women died due to cervical cancer. 44 Figure 8.1 shows the incidence and mortality rates from cervical cancer in Victoria from 1982 to 2014. The incidence of cervical cancer has declined dramatically since the 1980s, with a considerable decline from the mid-1990s. There was a plateau in incidence in 2000 and the rate has remained relatively stable since that time at between four and five per 100,000 women. A slight increase in incidence was noted in 2012 (5.7 per 100,000 women), however this has been followed by a subsequent decline to 4.7 per 100,000 women during 2014.

The mortality from cervical cancer in Victoria has declined gradually over time and since 2002 has been around one per 100,000 women, which is among the lowest in the world. 45 The mortality rate for all types of cervical cancer in 2014 was 1.1 per 100,000 Victorian women (2012: 1.0 and 2013: 1.0).

Figure 8.2 shows the age-standardised incidence rates for cervical cancer by histological subtype over time. The greatest impact of the Cervical Screening Program has been on invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, with age-standardised incidence rates declining from 6.3 per 100,000 women in 1989 to 1.8 per 100,000 in 2014. Incidence rates for micro-invasive cancer have increased slightly since 2000; and in 2014 were 1.0 per 100,000 women screened (2011: 1.1, 2012: 1.0 and 2013: 1.4). Cervical screening is less effective for the detection of adenocarcinomas,46 which now represent a larger proportion of all cancers due to the success of the program in reducing the incidence of squamous cancers. It is anticipated that HPV vaccination programs will reduce the future incidence of adenocarcinomas.

Figure 8.3 shows the age-specific incidence rates of cervical cancer by histology and age, grouped over the three year period of 2012 to 2014. The age-specific incidence of invasive squamous cervical cancer increases in the 30 to 34 year old age group to peak at age 35 to 39 years, followed by subsequent peaks in women aged 50 to 54 years, 70 to 74 years and 85+ years. Micro-invasive cervical cancer peaks in women aged 35 to 39 years of age and declines steadily thereafter. Other cervical cancers peak at 40 to 44 years of age, decline until 70 to 74 years of age and then peak again for women aged 85+ years.

figure 8.1 Age-standardised incidence and mortality rates for all types of cervical cancer in Victoria, 1982-2014.

Rate per 100,000 women (age-standardised to the World Standard Population)

12

10

Incidence 8

2014 rates

6

4.7 4

2

Mortality 1.1

0 Year

1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Notes â&#x20AC;˘ Source: Victorian Cancer Registry, Cancer Council Victoria 2015.

44 Thursfield V, Farrugia H 2015. Cancer in Victoria: Statistics & Trends 2014, Melbourne: Cancer Council Victoria.

45 International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). GLOBOCAN 2012: Estimated Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence Worldwide in 2012, online analysis. http://globocan.iarc.fr/Pages/online.aspx, viewed 8 October 2015.

36

46 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 2005.

Screening to prevent cervical cancer: guidelines for the management of asymptomatic women with screen-detected abnormalities, Canberra: NHMRC.

figure 8.2 Age-standardised incidence rates for cervical cancer by histological subtype in Victoria, 1982-2014.

Rate per 100,000 women (age-standardised to the World Standard Population)

8 7

6

5

Invasive squamous cell carcinoma

4

2014 rates

3

2

1.9

Other invasive morphology

1.8 1

0 Year

1.0

Micro-invasive squamous cell carcinoma

1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Notes • O ther cervical cancers are comprised of all other types, including adenocarcinomas.

• Source: Victorian Cancer Registry, Cancer Council Victoria 2015.

figure 8.3 Age-specific incidence rates of cervical cancer by histological subtype in Victoria, 2012-2014.

12

Age-specific rate per 100,000 women

10

8 Invasive squamous cell carcinoma

6

4

2

Other invasive morphology

Micro-invasive squamous cell carcinoma 0 Age Group

0 to 4 years

5 to 9 years

10 to 14 years

15 to 19 years

20 to 24 years

25 to 29 years

30 to 34 years

35 to 39 years

40 to 44 years

45 to 49 years

50 to 54 years

55 to 59 years

60 to 64 years

65 to 69 years

70 to 74 years

75 to 79 years

80 to 84 years

85+ years

Notes • O ther cervical cancers are comprised of all other types, including adenocarcinomas.

• Source: Victorian Cancer Registry, Cancer Council Victoria 2015.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

37

9. SCREENING HISTORY OF WOMEN DIAGNOSED WITH CERVICAL CANCER IN 2013 According to the Victorian Cancer Registry (VCR), 170 Victorian women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2013 (1 January - 31 December). Of these women, 65 were diagnosed with invasive squamous cell carcinoma, 46 with micro-invasive squamous cell cancer and 59 with other types of invasive cervical cancer (including adenocarcinoma, small cell carcinoma, mixed adenosquamous adenocarcinoma and carcinosarcoma/sarcoma). 47 During 2013, 139 women were recorded on the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR) as having a histologicallyconfirmed invasive or micro-invasive cervical cancer, with 112 having an invasive cancer diagnosis (squamous or other type) and 27 having a micro-invasive diagnosis. An audit was conducted on the screening histories of these women recorded on the VCCR based on criteria used in other international studies.48 All screening tests within six months of diagnosis were excluded (as it is assumed these led to the diagnosis) and the following categories were used:

A. Never screened (coverage failure) B. Lapsed screening: with more than two and a half years between the cancer diagnosis and the ultimate Pap test, or more than 18 months if there is a history of abnormality and a 12 month screening interval is recommended under the Guidelines C. Adequately screened (screening failure): with less than two and a half years between the cancer diagnosis and the ultimate Pap test D. Delayed diagnosis (biopsy, management or treatment failure): e.g. no colposcopy and/or biopsy recorded E. Not eligible: women over the age of 70 years and no longer eligible for the screening program F. Other : see Note 5 under Table 9.

Table 9 classifies the screening history of women diagnosed with invasive and micro-invasive cervical cancer into one of the following four general groups, with numbers for invasive cancers (green column) discussed more below.

A. Women with no previous screening history The never screened category includes women who were on the VCR and either not recorded on the VCCR (and thus it is assumed they were never screened) or were recorded on the VCCR but their first Pap test was within six months of diagnosis and was therefore considered to be part of the diagnostic pathway. Table 9 shows that, of women diagnosed with an invasive cervical cancer during 2013, 44 (35%) had no screening history.

A proportion of those unknown to the VCCR may have been screened interstate or overseas, or have opted-off the Registry.

B. Women with a lapsed screening history According to the VCCR records, there were 49 women (40%) diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer that were categorised as lapsed screeners. This is defined as women with no record of a Pap test within two and a half years of their cancer diagnosis (but more than six months prior to diagnosis) in accordance with the current national screening policy recommendation of two yearly screening. It is interesting to note that of the 49 women who are lapsed screeners, 30 (61%) did not have a screening test within five and a half years or more of their diagnosis.

Taken together, the data above for ‘never screened’ women and ‘lapsed screeners’ indicate that, for invasive cervical cancers diagnosed during 2013: • 74% of women with invasive squamous cell cancer had no screening history or had a lapsed screening history.

• 76% of women with invasive glandular cancer had no screening history or had a lapsed screening history.

C. Women with an adequate screening history Of the women diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer, nine women (7%) have been assessed as having an adequate screening history with at least one Pap test between six months and two and a half years prior to their cancer diagnosis. Of these women, 78% (i.e. 7/9) were diagnosed with glandular cervical cancers, which are harder to detect through cervical screening.

D. Women with a delayed diagnosis Of the women diagnosed with frankly invasive cervical cancer (squamous or other), 14 (11%) appear to have had a delayed diagnosis or management failure on the limited information available to the VCCR.

47 Victorian Cancer Registry 2015. Unpublished data. Melbourne: Cancer Council Victoria.

48 Sasieni P, Adams J, Cuzick J. Benefits of cervical screening at different ages: evidence from the UK audit of screening histories. Br J Cancer 2003; 89(1):88-93.

38

Table 9 Screening history of Victorian women diagnosed with cervical cancer for the period 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013.

Invasive squamous cell carcinoma Screening history

Number

A. Never screened

24

% 37%

Invasive sub-total

Other invasive cervical cancer6 Number 20

%

Number

34%

44

Microinvasive %

35%

Number 25

Total (Invasive and micro-invasive) %

54%

Number 69

% 41%

1

Never screened, recorded on VCCR

23

35%

9

15%

32

26%

6

13%

38

22%

Never screened, estimated to not be recorded on VCCR2

1

2%

11

19%

12

10%

19

41%

31

18%

B. Lapsed screeners

24

37%

25

42%

49

40%

11

24%

60

35%

Lapsed screener, > 2.5 years

1

2%

5

8%

6

5%

5

11%

11

6%

Lapsed screener, > 3.5 years

1

2%

6

10%

7

6%

2

4%

9

5%

Lapsed screener, > 5.5 years

11

17%

7

12%

18

15%

1

2%

19

11%

9

14%

3

5%

12

10%

3

7%

15

9%

2

3%

4

7%

6

5%

0

0%

6

4%

Lapsed screener, > 10 years Lapsed screener, > 18 months

3

C. Adequately screened (last screen within 2.5 years)

2

3%

7

12%

9

7%

6

13%

15

9%

D. Delayed diagnosis

11

17%

3

5%

14

11%

3

7%

17

10%

E. Not eligible

3

5%

3

5%

6

5%

1

2%

7

4%

F. Other 5

1

2%

1

2%

2

2%

0

0%

2

1%

Grand Total

65

100%

59

100%

124

100%

46

100%

170

100%

4

1. Woman recorded on the VCCR but has no screening history prior to diagnosis.

2. E stimated remaining number of women, not accounted for on the VCCR (i.e. VCR-VCCR).

3. L apsed screener, >18 months: women with a history of abnormality where a 12 month interval is recommended under the Guidelines.

4. Women over 70 years and with a negative screening history are outside the eligible range for the screening program.

Refer to the National Cervical Screening Program at http://www.cancerscreening.gov.au.

5. One woman had an unsatisfactory Pap test result, not followed up; and another woman had a failed ‘test of cure’.

6. O ther types of invasive cervical cancer may include adenocarcinoma, small cell carcinoma, mixed adenosquamous adenocarcinoma and carcinosarcoma/sarcoma.

Notes • Data only includes women with a Victorian postcode.

• Due to rounding percentages, there may be some discrepancy in totals not adding up.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

39

acknowledgements The production of this report would not be possible without the co-operation of the staff of the pathology laboratories of Victoria, the staff of the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry (VCCR) and the Victorian Cytology Service Information & Communication Technology team.

Very sincere thanks are extended to the members of all these groups. In particular, special thanks go to the dedicated VCCR staff for their collection of high-quality information and the provision of an excellent service for women and health practitioners.

The figures on incidence and mortality from cervical cancer were kindly provided by the Victorian Cancer Registry (VCR) at the Cancer Council Victoria. We would like to thank Vicky Thursfield and Helen Farrugia for their assistance in providing these data.

list of abbreviations ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics AIHW Australian Institute of Health and Welfare CIN

Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia

CST

Cervical Screening Test

ECC

Endocervical component

ERP

Estimated Resident Population, as provided by the ABS

HPV

Human Papillomavirus

HSIL

High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion

LSIL Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion

40

NHMRC

National Health and Medical Research Council

NHVPR

National HPV Vaccination Program Register

NPAAC

National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council

PPV

Positive Predictive Value

SCC

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

VCCR

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry

VCR

Victorian Cancer Registry

VCS

Victorian Cytology Service Ltd.

glossary references 49 Adenocarcinoma A rare cancer affecting the cervix, but involving the columnar cells rather than the squamous cells. The columnar cells are involved in glandular activity.

Adenocarcinoma has a different type and rate of progression and is not so often picked up in a Pap test.

Atypia Abnormality in a cell (to a lower degree than dysplasia).

Biopsy of the cervix Removal of a small piece of the cervix for examination under a microscope.

Carcinoma in situ Cancer cells that are restricted to the surface epithelium. The abnormal cells are evident throughout each of the layers of the epithelium but they have not extended into other, deeper tissue or surrounding areas.

Cervical Screening Test(s) (CST[s]) This term refers to Pap tests collected as part of the National Cervical Screening Program, as well as both Pap tests and HPV DNA (without Liquid Based Cytology) tests collected as part of the Compass trial.50 Cervix The neck of the uterus (womb), located at the top of the vagina.

Colposcopy A detailed examination of the lower genital tract with a magnifying instrument called a colposcope. This method of non-invasive evaluation allows the clinician to more accurately assess a cytologic abnormality by focusing on the areas of greatest abnormality and by sampling them with a biopsy to obtain a tissue diagnosis.

Compass trial This is a clinical trial comparing two and a half yearly Pap test screening with five-yearly HPV DNA screening.51 Cytology The microscope evaluation of a sample of cells obtained from a tissue (or body fluid) during procedures such as Pap tests. The sample does not permit evaluation of the underlying structure of the tissue of origin (cf. histology).

Dysplasia Abnormal appearance, development or growth patterns of cells.

Endocervix Internal canal of the uterine cervix and its epithelium, not usually visible on inspection of the cervix.

Glandular lesion Lesion involving the columnar cells of the cervix, which produce mucus and have both a different appearance and a different function from the squamous cells.

Histology The microscope study of the minute and detailed structure and composition of tissues.

Human papillomavirus Group of viruses that can cause infection in the skin surface of different areas of the body, including the genital area. The virus can sometimes cause visible genital warts. Some types can cause the abnormal cell changes which are detected on a Pap test and which can sometimes cause cancer.

Hysterectomy Refers to the surgical procedure whereby all or part of the uterus is removed.

Hysterectomy fraction The proportion of women who have had their uterus removed by hysterectomy.

Immunisation Inducing immunity against infection by the use of an antigen to stimulate the body to produce its own antibodies.52 Incidence The number of new cases (for example, of an illness or event) occurring during a given period.

Intraepithelial lesion Lesion confined to the surface layer of the cervix.

Invasive cancer A tumour whose cells have the potential to spread to nearby healthy or normal tissue or to more distant parts of the body.

Lesion Alteration of surface tissue, caused by injury or disease.

Malignant Abnormalities in cells or tissues consistent with cancer.

Micro-invasive squamous cell carcinoma (micro-invasive cancer) A lesion in which the cancer cells have invaded just below the surface of the cervix, but have not developed any potential to spread to other tissues.

National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) Australia-wide systematic approach to cervical screening based on sound international scientific evidence, the aim of which is to reduce the incidence and mortality rates for cervical cancer.

Opportunistic screening Taking Pap smears when a woman visits her GP for another reason.

Pap test (or smear) Simple procedure in which a number of cells are collected from the cervix, smeared onto a microscope slide and sent to a laboratory for cytological examination to look for changes that might lead to cervical cancer. Named after the test’s inventor, Dr Papanicolaou.

Pathology Laboratory-based study of disease, as opposed to clinical examination of systems.

Renewal This is a strategy for reviewing the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP). A new endorsed screening pathway and program model will ensure women have access to a cervical screening program that is safe, effective and efficient, and based on current evidence. The planned commencement date of the renewed program is 1 May 2017.53 Screening Testing of all people at risk of developing a certain disease, even if they have no symptoms. Screening tests can predict the likelihood of someone having or developing a particular disease.

Squamous cells Thin and flat cells, shaped like soft fish scales.

They line the outer surface of the cervix (ectocervix). They meet with columnar cells in the squamo-columnar junction.

Abnormalities associated with squamous cells are the most likely abnormalities to be picked up by Pap tests.

Squamous cell carcinoma A carcinoma arising from the squamous cells of the cervix.

49 Unless otherwise indicated, all definitions have been sourced from the following publications: – Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2014. Cervical screening in Australia 2011-2012. Cancer series no.82. Cat. no. CAN 79. Canberra: AIHW. – National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 2005. Screening to prevent cervical cancer: guidelines for the management of asymptomatic women with screen-detected abnormalities, Canberra: NHMRC. 50 Compass trial website: http://www.compasstrial.org.au/, viewed 10 November 2015.

51 Ibid.

52 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2008. Australia’s health 2008. Cat. no. AUS 99. Canberra: AIHW, p 557.

53 Australian Government, Department of Health, National Cervical Screening Program Renewal website. http://cancerscreening.gov.au/internet/screening/publishing.nsf/Content/renewal-3, viewed 5 October 2015.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

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Recommendation

Cytology

Specimen

APPENDIX 1.

CYTOLOGY CODING SCHEDULE

42

Type

AØ Not stated

A1 Conventional smear

A2 Liquid based specimen

A3 Conventional and liquid based specimen

Site

BØ Not stated

B1 Cervical

B2 Vaginal

B3 Other gynaecological site

S

Squamous Cell

E

Endocervical

O

Other / Non-cervical

SU

Unsatisfactory for evaluation e.g. poor cellularity, poor preservation, cell detail obscured by inflammation / blood / degenerate cells

EU

Due to the unsatisfactory nature of the smear, no assessment has been made

OU

Due to the unsatisfactory nature of the smear, no assessment has been made

S1

Cell numbers and preservation satisfactory. No abnormality or only reactive changes

E-

Not applicable: vault smear / previous hysterectomy

01

No other abnormal cells

S2

Possible low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL)

EØ

No endocervical component

02

Atypical endometrial cells of uncertain significance

S3

Low-grade LSIL (HPV and / or CIN I)

E1

Endocervical component present. No abnormality or only reactive changes

03

Atypical glandular cells of uncertain significance – site unknown

S4

Possible high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL)

E2

Atypical endocervical cells of uncertain significance

04

Possible endometrial adenocarcinoma

S5

High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) (CIN II / CIN III)

E3

Possible high-grade endocervical glandular lesion

05

Possible high-grade lesion – non-cervical

S6

High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) with possible microinvasion / invasion

E4

Adenocarcinoma in situ

06

Malignant cells – uterine body

S7

Squamous carcinoma

E5

Adenocarcinoma in situ with possible microinvasion / invasion

07

Malignant cells – vagina

E6

Adenocarcinoma

08

Malignant cells – ovary

09

Malignant cells – other

RØ

No recommendation

R4

Repeat smear six months

R8

Referral to specialist

R1

Repeat smear three years

R5

Repeat smear 6-12 weeks

R9

Other management recommended

R2

Repeat smear two years

R6

Colposcopy / biopsy recommended

RS

Symptomatic-clinical management required

R3

Repeat smear 12 months

R7

Already under gynaecological management

APPENDIX 2. REMINDER AND FOLLOW-UP PROTOCOL USED DURING 2014 Cytology Report

Subsequent Biopsy or Colposcopy

Other Circumstances

Time

Action by Registry

High-grade squamous abnormality or any glandular abnormality

Yes

–

12 months

First reminder to woman

21 months

Second reminder to woman

4 months

Questionnaire to practitioner

5.5 months

Telephone call to practitioner

No

Low-grade squamous abnormality

Yes

No

–

–

Previous smear also abnormal or fluctuating low-grade abnormality

Woman aged 30+ years and no negative cytology in preceding 36 mths

All other women

Negative

Unsatisfactory

–

Yes

No

6 months

Letter to woman

12 months

First reminder to woman

21 months

Second reminder to woman

15 months

First reminder to woman

24 months

Second reminder to woman

4 months

Questionnaire to practitioner

6 months

Letter to woman

12 months

First reminder to woman

21 months

Second reminder to woman

7 months

Questionnaire to practitioner

8.5 months

Letter to woman

15 months

First reminder to woman

24 months

Second reminder to woman

13.5 months

Reminder to practitioner

15 months

First reminder to woman

24 months

Second reminder to woman

Previous smear abnormal or past history of biopsy proven CIN 2 or CIN 3 without HPV ‘test of cure’

15 months

First reminder to woman

24 months

Second reminder to woman

All other women

27 months

First reminder to woman

36 months

Second reminder to woman

12 months

First reminder to woman

21 months

Second reminder to woman

6 months

Reminder to practitioner

9 months

First reminder to woman

18 months

Second reminder to woman

–

–

This protocol is adjusted in some unusual clinical circumstances (e.g. post-hysterectomy, after a diagnosis of cervical or endometrial malignancy, women aged 70+ years).

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

43

APPENDIX 3.

MAP OF MEDICARE LOCALS

% PARTICIPATION Less than 50% 50% - 55%

ML211

65% - 70%

ML213

ML216

ML215

ML204

ML211 ML204 ML201 ML206 ML203 ML202

60% - 65% Greater than 70%

ML216

ML215 ML205

55% - 60%

ML213

ML214

ML210

ML203 ML210

ML207

ML205 ML207

ML201 ML206 ML208 ML202

ML209

ML217

ML208

ML209 INSET: Melbourne andML217 surrounds INSET

ML217

Melbourne and surrounds

INSET: Melbourne and surrounds ML214

Medicare Locals

Medicare Locals

ML214

Victoria Victoria

ML216 ML215ML215

ML211 ML211

See Inset See

ML212 ML212

¯

44

Inset ML210 ML210

ML216

ML217

ML217

APPENDIX 3.

MAP OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS – MELBOURNE % PARTICIPATION

ML214

ML216

Less than 50%

ML215

50% - 55% 55% - 60%

ML211

ML204

60% - 65%

ML205

65% - 70%

ML201 ML206

Greater than 70% ML213

ML203

ML207

ML202 ML208

ML210 ML209

ML217 ML217

INSET: Melbourne and surrounds

ML214

ML215

ML211

Local Government Areas

See Inset

ML212

¯

ML216

ML217

ML210

Refer to Table 2.3.3 for key to LGA codes by LGA names.

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

45

APPENDIX 3.

MAP OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS – VICTORIA % PARTICIPATION

ML214

ML216

Less than 50%

ML215

50% - 55% 55% - 60%

ML211

ML204

60% - 65%

ML205

65% - 70%

ML201 ML206

Greater than 70% ML213

ML203

ML207

ML202 ML208

ML210 ML209

ML217

Local Government Areas ML217

INSET: Melbourne and surrounds

ML214

ML215

ML211

See Inset

ML212

¯

ML210

Refer to Table 2.3.3 for key to LGA codes by LGA names.

46

ML216

ML217

Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry Statistical Report 2014

47

48