Glossary
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander: A person of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. See also Indigenous.
age-specific rate: A rate for a specific age group. The numerator and denominator relate to the same age group.
age-standardised rate: A rate derived by removing the influence of age when comparing populations with different age structures. This is usually necessary as the rates of many diseases vary strongly (usually increasing) with age. The age structures of the different populations are converted to the same ‘standard’ structure, which allows disease rates to be compared.
Australian Statistical Geography Standard: Common framework defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics for collecting and disseminating geographically classified statistics; it replaced the Australian Standard Geographical Classification in July 2011.
biopsy: Small sample of tissue taken to obtain a definitive diagnosis of an abnormality.
cancer (malignant neoplasm): A large range of diseases in which some of the body’s cells become defective and begin to multiply out of control. These cells can invade and damage the area around them and can also spread to other parts of the body to cause further damage.
cancer death: A death where the underlying cause of death is indicated as cancer.
People with cancer who die of other causes are not counted in the mortality statistics in this publication.
Cervical Screening Test (CST): Consists of a human papillomavirus (HPV) test with partial genotyping and, if the HPV test detects oncogenic HPV, liquid based cytology (LBC).
cytology: The ‘study of cells’; in the context of cervical screening, the cells from the cervix that are collected and examined for abnormalities.
endocervical abnormality (cytology): An endocervical result of ‘E2 Atypical endocervical cells of uncertain significance’, ‘E3 Possible high-grade endocervical glandular lesion’, ‘E4 Adenocarcinoma in situ’, ‘E5 Adenocarcinoma in situ with possible microinvasion/invasion’ or ‘E6 Adenocarcinoma’, regardless of the corresponding squamous result for that cytology test.
endocervical abnormality (histology): An endocervical result of ‘HE02 Endocervical atypia’, ‘HE03.1 Endocervical dysplasia’, ‘HE03.2 Adenocarcinoma in situ’, ‘HE04.1 Microinvasive adenocarcinoma’, ‘HE04.2 Invasive adenocarcinoma’, ‘HE04.3 Adenosquamous carcinoma’ or ‘HE04.4 Carcinoma of the cervix (other)’, regardless of any squamous result. Note that ‘HE04.3 Adenosquamous carcinoma’ and ‘HE04.4 Carcinoma of the cervix (other)’ are included as endocervical abnormalities for data reporting purposes, but that the former is not solely of endocervical origin, and the latter comprises rarer carcinomas of other epithelial origin.
false negative: A test that incorrectly indicates that the disease is not present.
false positive: A test that incorrectly indicates that the disease is present.
follow-up screening episode: Encompasses a follow-up HPV test and an LBC if this is required. Usually occurs at 12 months (or between 9 and 15 months) after the primary screening episode.
genotyping: The process of determining which genetic variants an individual possesses.
In the context of cervical screening, it is used to determine whether an HPV test that is positive for oncogenic HPV is positive for HPV type 16 or 18.
histology: Examination of tissue from the cervix through a microscope, which is the primary diagnostic tool of the National Cervical Screening Program. Also referred to as histological.
histological: See histology.
HPV: An abbreviation for human papillomavirus, a virus that affects both males and females. There are around 100 types of HPV, with around 40 types known as ‘genital HPV’, which are contracted through sexual contact. Persistent infection with oncogenic HPV types can lead to cervical cancer, whereas infection with non-oncogenic types of HPV can cause genital warts.
incidence: The number of new cases (for example, of an illness or event) occurring during a given period, usually 1 year.
Indigenous: A person of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. See also Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
in situ: A Latin term meaning ‘in place or position’; undisturbed.
morbidity: Illness.
mortality: The number of deaths occurring during a given period.
National HPV Vaccination Program: A program introduced on 1 April 2007, initially for females. At inception, it comprised an ongoing vaccination program for girls aged 12–13 (administered through schools) and a catch-up program for those aged 13–26 between 2007 and 2009, with girls aged 13–17 vaccinated through schools and women aged 18–26 vaccinated through the community. From February 2013, the current school-based program for girls aged 12–13 was extended to boys aged 12–13, with a catch-up program in 2013 and 2014 for boys aged 14–15.
negative cytology: A cervical cytology test where the squamous result is ‘S1 Negative’ and the endocervical result is either ‘E0 No endocervical component’ or ‘E1 Negative’.
new cancer case: A person who has a new cancer diagnosed for the first time. One person may have more than 1 cancer and therefore may be counted twice in incidence statistics if it is decided that the 2 cancers are not of the same origin. This decision is based on a series of principles, set out in more detail in a publication by Jensen and others (1991).
no endocervical component: Defines a cervical cytology test with any squamous result and an endocervical result of ‘E0 No endocervical component’. This means that no endocervical cells are present in the sample, and thus only the squamous cells in the sample can be assessed for the presence of abnormalities or cancer.
oncogenic: Cancer-causing.
oncogenic HPV: Those types of HPV associated with the development of cervical cancer. Currently, 15 oncogenic types of HPV are recognised. HPV types 16, 18, and 45 are most commonly associated with cervical cancer.
Pap test: A shortened expression for Papanicolaou smear – a procedure used to detect cancer and precancerous conditions of the female genital tract, and which was the screening test of the National Cervical Screening Program before 1 December 2017. During a Pap test, cells are collected from the transformation zone of the cervix – the area where the squamous cells from the outer opening of the cervix and glandular cells from the endocervical canal meet. This is the site where most cervical abnormalities and cancers are detected. For conventional cytology, these cells are transferred onto a slide, and sent to a pathology laboratory for assessment. Collected cells are then examined under a microscope to look for abnormalities.
previous NCSP: The National Cervical Screening Program that used the Pap test as its primary screening tool; it ceased on 30 November 2017, to be replaced by the renewed NCSP.
primary screening episode: Encompasses a primary screening HPV test and an LBC if this is required.
renewed NCSP: The National Cervical Screening Program that uses HPV testing as its primary screening tool; it commenced on 1 December 2017.
screening: The application of a test to a population with no overt signs or symptoms of the disease in question to detect disease at a stage when treatment is more effective. The screening test is used to identify people who require further investigation to determine the presence or absence of disease, and is not primarily a diagnostic test.
The purpose of screening an asymptomatic individual is to detect early evidence of an abnormality or abnormalities – such as pre-malignant changes (for example, by Cervical Screening Test) or early invasive malignancy in order to recommend preventive strategies or treatment that will provide a better health outcome than if the disease were diagnosed at a later stage.
squamous abnormality (cytology): A squamous result of ‘S2 Possible low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion’, ‘S3 Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion’, ‘S4 Possible high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion’, ‘S5 High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion’, ‘S6 High-grade intraepithelial lesion with possible microinvasion/invasion’ or ‘S7 Squamous cell carcinoma’, regardless of the corresponding endocervical result for that cytology test.
squamous abnormality (histology): A squamous result of ‘HS02 Low-grade squamous abnormality’, ‘HS03.1 Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) not otherwise specified (NOS)’, ‘HS03.2 CIN 2’, ‘HS03.3 CIN 3’, ‘HS04.1 Microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma’ or ‘HS04.2 Invasive squamous cell carcinoma’, regardless of any endocervical result.
unsatisfactory cytology: A cervical cytology test where the squamous result is ‘SU Unsatisfactory’ and the endocervical result is ‘EU Unsatisfactory’, or where the squamous result is ‘SU Unsatisfactory’ and the endocervical result is either ‘E0 No endocervical component’ or ‘E1 Negative’. While not a true result per se, ‘unsatisfactory cytology’ means that, due to the unsatisfactory nature of the cells sampled, the pathologist is unable to determine a clear result. This may be due to either too few or too many cells, or to the presence of blood or other factors obscuring the cells, or to poor staining or preservation.