HPV TYPING AS A SCREENING PROGRAM FOR PREVENTION AND EARLY DETECTION OF CERVICAL CANCER IN DIFFERENT MONTENEGRO REGIONS

The objective of our research was to compare the results of human papillomavirus (HPV) typing and occurrence of the most important risk factors for cervical cancer obtained in the towns of northern, central and southern regions of Montenegro, in subjects between 30 and 35 years of age, in accordance with the new screening program introduced by the Ministry of Health of Montenegro in 2018. The study included 400 patients aged 30-35 years from Rožaje, Berane, Budva and Podgorica, 100 from each town, who underwent HPV typing in accordance with the latest screening program for early detection and prevention of cervical cancer, approved by the Ministry of Health of Montenegro in 2018. The material was obtained and sampled at the Health Clinics in Rožaje, Berane, Podgorica and Budva. Specially designed brushes were used to take swabs from the cervices, which were then sampled in separate collection tubes that contained a liquid transport medium. The samples were then sent for further analysis to the Institute of Public Health of Montenegro where HPV typing was performed using the real-time polymerase chain reaction method. The results were encrypted and obtained electronically. The data obtained from the questionnaires each subject filled out in accordance with this program were analyzed and the subjects willingly agreed to partake in the screening program. Nearly one-quarter of subjects had a positive HPV finding. The group of HPV positive women included significantly more women from Podgorica (χ(2)-test=26.455, p<0.001), women with very good living conditions (χ(2)-test=12.264, p<0.001), women who smoked cigarettes (χ(2)-test=5.074, p=0.024), women who had the first sexual intercourse between the ages of 17 and 20 (χ(2)-test=5.874, p=0.015), and women who did not have permanent partners (χ(2)-test=6.061, p=0.014). Among the observed socio-demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors of our subjects that proved to be non-significant variables in their HPV statuses we excluded the length of smoking habit (χ(2)-test=0.638, p=0.424) and protected sexual intercourse (χ(2)-test=2.628, p=0.105). By implementing the screening program and HPV typing, we came to a conclusion that the problem of cervical cancer could be solved or at least mitigated by raising awareness of the causes and incidence of cervical cancer, as well as by being well informed on its curability, predictability and protection during intercourse, which would contribute to positive changes.