Cervical cancer is still a major global health problem with thousands of women diagnosed each year. A preventable disease, yet it continues to be deadly, particularly in low- and middle-income countries with poor access to health care. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the worldwide fight against cervical cancer, discussing effective strategies and initiatives that are being implemented to help eliminate this disease once and for all.
The majority of cervical cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a prevalent sexually transmitted virus. Most HPV infections go away on their own, but a stable HPV infection can cause cervical cancer. Those symptoms might not show up until the cancer is advanced, so regular screening is important. Risk factors include having sex at a young age, multiple sex partners and smoking.
In fact, cervical cancer is the fourth most prevalent cancer among women worldwide. The burden falls especially heavily in low-resource settings, where screening and treatment options are frequently scarce.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated a global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem. This ambitious plan aims to lower rates of cervical cancer to less than four cases per 100,000 women by 2030. The strategy restson three main strategies - vaccination, screening and treatment.
In order to eliminate cervical cancer, the initiative has laid out the following targets:
Vaccination: By age 15, 90% of girls should have completed a vaccination course with the HPV vaccine.
Screening: 70% of women should be screened with a high-performance assay at age 35 and age 45.
Treatment: Aside from active monitoring, 90% of women with cervical disease should be treated.
The HPV vaccine's availability has changed the battle against cervical cancer. The vaccine is highly effective at protecting against the types of HPV that most often lead to cervical cancer. Many countries are already using vaccination programs that have immunized significant numbers of young girls. It has also decreased the prevalence of HPV in their country.
Despite these successes, there are challenges ahead. In some parts of the world, access to the vaccine is hindered by cost, lack of awareness, and logistical challenges. These barriers can be overcome through innovative solutions, such as community outreach programs and partnerships with local organisations to increase vaccine uptake.
Regular screening is important for early detection and treatment of cervical cancer. Different screening tests, including Pap smears and HPV tests, have shown their ability to detect precancerous changes. Countries such as United States have well-developed screening programmes that resulted in a significant drop in cervical cancer rates.
In India, efforts to increase screening access in rural regions have been successful. Mobile clinics and community health workers are vital to reaching women who may otherwise remain unscreened. But to improve access to screening and treatment, challenges like stigma, a lack of awareness and healthcare infrastructure need to be tackled.
Cervical cancer elimination relies on concerted effort. Government, non-governmental organisation and private sector partnerships can leverage resources and expertise. The Cervical Cancer Action for Elimination (CCAE) is a great example of a coalition, which brings together multiple stakeholders to highlight lessons learned, the need to take action to drive progress, and advocate for changes to policy.
Such partnerships can also support funding and resource mobilisation, so that proven programmes reach those who need them most. Organisations can have a more significant impact together, and accelerate the fight against cervical cancer.
Vaccination, screening, and treatment are key elements of the strategy, and successful examples from across the globe show that progress is actually achievable. No woman should face cervical cancer without the resources to prevent or treat it, and ongoing commitment and collaboration are key to achieving this.