Informing the global strategy to achieve cervical cancer elimination

Background

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer. Well-established cervical screening programs have already had a dramatic impact on cervical cancer incidence in high-income countries. Yet cervical cancer is still the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide and the leading cause of cancer death in 42 countries, including some of the world’s poorest countries, for example those in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2018, the large majority of the 570,000 new cervical cancer cases worldwide occurred in women living in LMICs.

Previous Cancer Council NSW research has shown that cervical cancer could potentially be eliminated as a public health problem by the end of the century in most countries globally.

The research

Cancer Council NSW, along with other leading international researchers, have provided evidence to support the World Health Organization’s global strategy on cervical cancer elimination.

Two studies led by Cancer Council NSW, Université Laval and Harvard University working with the WHO estimate the potential benefits. They found that over 74 million cervical cancer cases and 62 million deaths could be averted over the next 100 years if 78 of the poorest countries in the world are able to rapidly scale up HPV vaccination, cervical screening and access to cancer treatment services.

The two studies focus on 78 low and lower-middle income countries (LMIC) which bear the largest cervical cancer burden, located in East Asia & Pacific, Europe & Central Asia, Latin American & Caribbean, Middle East & North Africa, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. In these countries, combining vaccination of girls with twice-lifetime cervical screening and improved access to invasive cervical cancer treatment was predicted to reduce cervical cancer incidence by 97% and mortality by almost 99%, and avert over 74 million cervical cancer cases and over 62 million deaths in the next 100 years.

These figures rely on three targets being met in these countries by 2030: 90% of girls being vaccinated against HPV, 70% coverage for twice-lifetime cervical screening with HPV testing, and 90% coverage for treatment of pre-invasive lesions and invasive cancer.