Assessment of Barriers and Interventions to Improve Cancer Screening Programmes in Latin American and Caribbean Countries: Outcomes of the CanScreen5/CELAC Project

This publication summarizes the outcomes of a study within the IARC Cancer Screening in Five Continents (CanScreen5) project that evaluated barriers to accessing cancer screening services from the health system perspective in the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). The objectives of the CanScreen5/CELAC project, conducted by IARC in close collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), are to report on the status and performance of cancer screening programmes in CELAC countries.

This publication focuses on the most relevant barriers at each step in the cancer screening pathway identified by representatives of the health authorities of the countries, as well as the evidence-based interventions that are in place to overcome the barriers to cancer screening. The following information is covered for each of the 27 participating CELAC countries: screening protocols for breast cancer, cervical cancer, and colorectal cancer; mapping of barriers to the cancer screening pathway; and identifying interventions that are already in place to improve cancer screening programmes in the country.

This technical report will be an important tool for policy-makers, health professionals, and other stakeholders in the CELAC region to identify the areas to prioritize for investment to improve the cancer screening programmes in their respective countries.