Patients’ attitudes towards cancer screening: a literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2026.88.70953Keywords
cancer screening, patient attitudes, medical sociology, literature reviewAbstract
The aim of this review is to summarise the findings of studies on patients’ attitudes towards cancer screening. The review examined the full texts of 63 publications on four common cancers: breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer and lung cancer. For each disease, specific features of patients’ attitudes towards screening programmes were identified, as reflected in their willingness to undergo screening, their awareness of the disease and screening for it, and the motivators and barriers to participating in cancer screening. For all these diseases, widespread support for screening programmes was found among various population groups, but the awareness of this support is called into question. The review concludes with recommendations for conducting research into patients’ attitudes towards cancer screening in Ukraine.
References
1. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. A short guide to cancer screening. Increase effectiveness, maximize benefits and minimize harm [Internet]. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe. 2022;45. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/hand le/10665/351396/9789289057561-eng.pdf.
2. Cullati S, Charvet-Bérard AI, Perneger TV. Cancer screening in a middle-aged general population: factors associated with practices and attitudes. BMC Public Health. 2009;9:118. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-9-118.
3. Wools A, Dapper EA, Leeuw JRJD. Colorectal cancer screening participation: a systematic review. Eur J Public Health. 2016;26(1):158-68. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckv148.
4. Kolahdooz F, Jang SL, Corriveau A, et al. Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours towards cancer screening in indigenous populations: a systematic review. Lancet Oncol. 2014;15(11):e504-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470- 2045(14)70508-X.
5. Smith J, Dodd RH, Gainey KM, et al. Patient-Reported Factors Associated With Older Adults’ Cancer Screening Decision-making: A Systematic Review. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(11):e2133406. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.33406.
6. Sung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL, et al. Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2021;71(3):209-49. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21660.
7. Harbeck N, Penault-Llorca F, Cortes J, et al. Breast cancer. Nat Rev Dis Primer. 2019;5(1):66. https://doi.org/10.1038/ s41572-019-0111-2.
8. Sechopoulos I, Mann RM. Stand-alone artificial intelligence - The future of breast cancer screening? The Breast. 2020;49:254-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.breast.2019.12.014.
9. Freeman K, Geppert J, Stinton C, et al. Use of artificial intelligence for image analysis in breast cancer screening programmes: systematic review of test accuracy. BMJ. 2021;374:1872. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n1872.
10. Torres-Mejía G, Smith RA, Carranza-Flores MDLL, et al. Radiographers supporting radiologists in the interpretation of screening mammography: a viable strategy to meet the shortage in the number of radiologists. BMC Cancer. 2015;15(1):410. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-015-1399-2.
11. European Commission Initiatives on Breast and Colorectal Cancer. Inviting and informing women about screening [Internet]. 2023. Available from: https://healthcare-quality.jrc. ec.europa.eu/european-breast-cancer-guidelines/Invitation-toscreening-and-decision-aid.
12. Wegwarth O, Widschwendter M, Cibula D, et al. What do European women know about their female cancer risks and cancer screening? A cross-sectional online intervention survey in five European countries. BMJ Open. 2018;8(12):e023789. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023789. ОБЗОРЫ / REVIEWS VOPROSY ONKOLOGII = PROBLEMS IN ONCOLOGY. 2023;69(6) 1029
13. Mascara M, Constantinou C. Global perceptions of women on breast cancer and barriers to screening. Curr Oncol Rep. 2021;23(7):74. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-021-01069-z.
14. Seaman K, Dzidic PL, Castell E, et al. A systematic review of women’s knowledge of screening mammography. The Breast. 2018;42:81-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.breast.2018.08.102.
15. Noman S, Shahar HK, Abdul Rahman H, et al. The Effectiveness of Educational Interventions on Breast Cancer Screening Uptake, Knowledge, and Beliefs among Women: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;18(1):263. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010263.
16. Satoh M, Sato N. Relationship of attitudes toward uncertainty and preventive health behaviors with breast cancer screening participation. BMC Womens Health. 2021;21(1):171. https:// doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01317-1.
17. Ritchie D, Van Hal G, Van Den Broucke S. Factors affecting intention to screen after being informed of benefits and harms of breast cancer screening: a study in 5 European countries in 2021. Arch Public Health. 2022;80(1):143. https://doi. org/10.1186/s13690-022-00902-6.
18. Özkan İ, Taylan S. Barriers to women’s breast cancer screening behaviors in several countries: A meta-synthesis study. Health Care Women Int. 2021;42(7-9):1013-43. https://doi.or g/10.1080/07399332.2020.1814777.
19. Zha N, Alabousi M, Patel BK, et al. Beyond universal health care: barriers to breast cancer screening participation in Canada. J Am Coll Radiol. 2019;16(4):570-9. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.jacr.2019.02.044.
20. Lennox-Chhugani N, Chen Y, Pearson V, et al. Women’s attitudes to the use of AI image readers: a case study from a national breast screening programme. BMJ Health Care Inform. 2021;28(1):e100293. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjhci-2020-100293.
21. Pesapane F, Rotili A, Valconi E, et al. Women’s perceptions and attitudes to the use of AI in breast cancer screening: a survey in a cancer referral centre. Br J Radiol. 2023;96(1141):20220569. https://doi.org/10.1259/ bjr.20220569.
22. Rybin, A., A. Varabina, and M. Broshkov. ""Epidemiology and management of ovarian cancer based on the clinical experience of the southern region of Ukraine." Georgian Medical News 288 (2019): 32-36.
23. Rybin A, Dubinina V, Kuznetsova O. Personalized managing of the patients with serous ovarian cancer. InINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GYNECOLOGICAL CANCER 2016 Sep 1 (Vol. 26, pp. 35-35). TWO COMMERCE SQ, 2001 MARKET ST, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103 USA: LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS.
24. Kolesnik O.O., Rybin A.I. Predicting the effectiveness of treatment for ovarian cancer patients. Current issues in paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology. – 2017. – No. 2. – pp. 40–47. DOI 10.11603/24116-4944.2017.2.8043.
25. Kolesnik O.O., Rybin A.I. Personalised treatment of ovarian cancer patients. Hospital Surgery. Journal named after L. Ya. Kovalchuk. – 2017. – No. 2 (78). – P. 5-12. DOI 10.11603/2414-4533.2017.2.7951.
26. RYBIN, Andriy and LISKOVSKYI, Sergiy. Epidemiology of papillomavirus infection in Ukraine. Pedagogy and Psychology of Sport. Online. 31 October 2025. Vol. 26, p. 66875. [Accessed 10 December 2025]. DOI 10.12775/PPS.2025.26.66875.
27. Rybin A, Maksymovskyi V, Kuznetsova O, Osyk V, Bohdan A. THE RESULTS OF LIFE QUALITY ASSESSMENT IN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY OVARIAN CANCER DURING TREATMENT: EFFECT OF DIFFERENT TACTICS AND HIPEC. Georgian Med News. 2025 Jul-Aug;(364-365):364-368. PMID: 41072538.
28. Rybin A. I., O. V. Kuznetsova, and V. E. Maximovsky. "Modern strategies of surgical treatment of patients with pelvic canceromatosis caused by the ovarian cancer. Visnyk morsʹkoyi medytsyny 2020; 2 (87): 55–61. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3967728.
29. Rybin A. (2022). Results of personalised treatment of ovarian cancer in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis // Reproductive Health of Women, (7), 35–40. https://doi.org/10.30841/2708-8731.7.2022.272470.
30. RYBIN, A., MAKSYMOVSKYI, V., KUZNETSOVA, O. and ZAMYSHLYAK, V. Personalised treatment of patients with advanced ovarian cancer: comparative analysis of surgical approaches. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. Online. 30 June 2025. Vol. 83, p. 64576. DOI 10.12775/JEHS.2025.83.64576.
31. MAKSYMOVSKYI, V., RYBIN, A. and ZAMYSHLYAK, V. Quality of life in patients with advanced ovarian cancer under personalised treatment: the impact of HIPEC. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. Online. 11 August 2025. Vol. 84, p. 64751. DOI 10.12775/JEHS.2025.84.64751.
32. Rybin, A. I., Maksymovskyi, V. Ye., Kuznetsova, O. V., & Zamyshlyak, V. I. (2025). Assessment of the quality of life of patients with primary ovarian cancer during personalised treatment. Reproductive Health of Women, (7), 73-79. https://doi.org/10.30841/2708-8731.7.2025.343883.
33. Rybin A.I. The role of proteomic and genetic predictors of survival in ovarian cancer patients. Clinical Oncology, 2016, No. 3 (23), pp. 46-48.
34. Rybin, A. I., et al. "QUINTIP RECORDATI INITIAL DATA CONCERNING THE PECULIARITIES OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS INFECTION EPIDEMIOLOGY IN UKRAINE AND THE PROSPECTS FOR ITS PREVENTION." World of Medicine and Biology 21.93 (2025): 242-250. DOI 10.26724/2079-8334-2025-3-93-242-250.
35. Rybin A. I., Lysenko M. A., Rysina A. I. Features of the sanogenesis system in patients with ovarian cancer resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy. Collection of scientific works of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Ukraine. 2014. 1-2. 251-254.
36. Rybin A.I., Kuznetsova O.V. Second line treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer: from clinical trials to modern military realities // International scientific journal ‘Grail of Science’, No. 26, 2023.-P. 478-482. https://doi.org/10.36074/grail-of-science.14.04.2023.085.
37. RYBIN, A. Biomarkers of platinum resistance in serous ovarian cancer. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. Online. 25 September 2025. Vol. 85, p. 65774. DOI 10.12775/JEHS.2025.85.65774.
38. Rybin A. I., et al. Initial data from Quintip Recordati on the epidemiology of papillomavirus infection in Ukraine and prospects for its prevention. World of Medicine and Biology No. 3(93), 2025, pp. 242–250. DOI 10.26724/2079-8334-2025-3-93-242-250.
39. RYBIN, Andriy. Modern strategies of platinum resistance overcoming in patients with the serous ovarian cancer. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. Online. 30 November 2018. Vol. 8, no. 11, pp. 594-599.
40. Rybin, A. I., et al. ‘Assessment of quality of life in patients with primary ovarian cancer during personalised treatment.’ Women’s Reproductive Health 7 (2025): 73–79. https://doi.org/10.30841/2708-8731.7.2025.343883.
41. Rybin, A., et al. "THE RESULTS OF LIFE QUALITY ASSESSMENT IN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY OVARIAN CANCER DURING TREATMENT: EFFECT OF DIFFERENT TACTICS AND HIPEC." Georgian Medical News 364-365 (2025): 364-368.
42. Rybin, A. I., et al. ‘Innovative approaches to the management of cancer patients.’ (2025). Current Issues in Transport Medicine. - 2025. - No. 1 (79). – pp. 131–139. http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15069303.
43. Kuznetsova O.V. Hepatotoksychnostʹ razlychnykh skhem khymyoterapevtycheskoho lechenyya opukholey zhenskoy reproduktyvnoy systemy / O.V. Kuznetsova, A.Y. Rybyn, V.H. Dubynyna // Arkhiv klinichnoyi ta eksperymentalʹnoyi medytsyny. – 2014. – tom 22, № 1. – S. 60–64.
44. RYBIN, Andriy and LISKOVSKYI, Sergiy. When endometrioma becomes malignant: a clinical case and conclusions for oncogynecological practice. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. Online. 11 December 2025. Vol. 86, p. 67343. DOI 10.12775/JEHS.2025.86.67343.
45. RYBIN, A., KUZNETSOVA, O. and ZAMYSHLYAK, V. Molecular characteristics of endometrial cancer: entering the era of precision medicine. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. Online. 27 January 2026. Vol. 87, p. 70267. DOI 10.12775/JEHS.2026.87.70267.
46. Rybin, A. I., et al. ‘Assessment of quality of life in patients with primary ovarian cancer during personalised treatment.’ Reproductive Health of Woman. 2025 (7), 73–79. https://doi.org/10.30841/2708-8731.7.2025.343883.
47. Rybin A,, Kuznetsova O. (2025). MODERN LOOK ON RESISTANCE TO PLATINUM IN PATIENTS WITH THE SEROUS OVARIAN CANCER. SWorldJournal, 2(33-02), 130–137. https://doi.org/10.30888/2663-5712.2025-33-02-029.
48. Rybin, A. The modern look on the platinum-based chemotherapy effectiveness the modern look on the platinum-based chemotherapy effectiveness. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. Online. 30 May 2025. Vol. 81, p. 66051. DOI 10.12775/JEHS.2025.81.66051.
49. Rybin, A., Kuznetsova, O., & Zamyshlyak, V. (2025). VIVRE AVEC DEUX GUERRIERS: CANCER ET GROSSESSE EN TEMPS DE GUERRE. Collection of scientific papers «ΛΌГOΣ», (April 4, 2025; Paris, France), 335-339. https://doi.org/10.36074/logos-04.04.2025.065.
50. Rybin, Andriy; Kuznetsova, Olga; Zamyshlyak, Viktoria. LIFELONG WAR: CHRONIC STRESS AND HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS AS MAJOR RISK FACTORS FOR CERVICAL CANCER. Collection of scientific papers «ΛΌГOΣ», 2025, September 5, 2025; Boston, USA: 204-208. https://doi.org/10.36074/logos-05.09.2025.035.
51. RYBIN, Andriy, et al. A Comparative Analysis of the Outcomes of Personalised Treatment for Patients with Advanced Ovarian Cancer. Modern engineering and innovative technologies, 2025, 40-02: 133-143. https://doi.org/10.30890/2567-5273.2025-40-02-014.
52. Ahmed F. Thematic analysis of smokers’ attitudes towards lung cancer screening using spiral CT scanning. Research Square [Preprint]. 2022. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1725186/v1.
53. Jonnalagadda S, Bergamo C, Lin JJ, et al. Beliefs and attitudes about lung cancer screening among smokers. Lung Cancer. 2012;77(3):526-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lungcan.2012.05.095.
54. Mishra SI, Sussman AL, Murrietta AM, et al. Patient Perspectives on Low-Dose Computed Tomography for Lung Cancer Screening, New Mexico, 2014. Prev Chronic Dis. 2016;13:160093. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd13.160093.
55. Cam NB, Lee YY, Yoon H, et al. Intentions to Undergo Lung Cancer Screening among Korean Men. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2015;16(15):6293-8. https://doi.org/10.7314/ apjcp.2015.16.15.6293.
56. Delmerico J, Hyland A, Celestino P, et al. Patient willingness and barriers to receiving a CT scan for lung cancer screening. Lung Cancer. 2014;84(3):307-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. lungcan.2014.03.003.
57. Monu J, Triplette M, Wood DE, et al. Evaluating knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about lung cancer screening using crowdsourcing. Chest. 2020;158(1):386-92. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.chest.2019.12.048.
58. Tseng TS, Gross T, Celestin MD, et al. Knowledge and attitudes towards low dose computed tomography lung cancer screening and smoking among African Americans - a mixed method study. Transl Cancer Res. 2019;8(S4):S431-42. https://doi.org/10.21037/tcr.2019.04.18.
59. Park J, Lee J, Kim Y. Public opinion on implementing the National Lung Cancer Screening Program in Korea. Transl Lung Cancer Res. 2021;10(3):1355-67. https://doi. org/10.21037/tlcr-20-865.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 A. Rybin, V. Zamyshlyak
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The periodical offers access to content in the Open Access system under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 12
Number of citations: 0
