A prevenção do câncer de colo de uterino na perspectiva da equipe de saúde da família

Abstract

Cancer of the cervix is an important public health problem, and is among the leading types of cancer that occurs in Brazil, ranked as the third most common cancer among women in the country, causing a large number of deaths. There are several risk factors for developing cervical cancer as the low socioeconomic status, early onset of sexual activity, multiple partners, poor intimate hygiene, oral contraceptive use and even smoking. This study characterized cancer of the cervix based on the literature, described the main aspects of screening cervical cancer developed by professionals of the Family Health Team, as well as the importance of performing Pap smears. We performed a narrative review of scientific literature covering the period 2002 to 2011. With this study it was possible to do an analysis, where all the authors report the importance of performing Pap smears and also ways to improve the tracking within the health unit.