Every year, over half a million women develop cervical cancer, and more than 300,000 die from the disease. These deaths are particularly tragic because we can prevent them through vaccination and early screening.
Because cervical cancer is caused by a virus — the “human papillomavirus” (HPV) — it can be prevented through vaccination. HPV vaccines are highly effective, as demonstrated in large-scale randomized controlled trials. Research shows that, if given early, vaccination reduces the risk of serious cervical cell changes by 99% for the HPV types most likely to cause cervical cancer.
In England, younger cohorts vaccinated at school show dramatically lower rates of cervical cancer than older cohorts when they reach the same age. In the youngest cohort, which had a vaccination rate of 89%, cervical cancer rates were around 87% lower than in the oldest cohort.
Yet HPV vaccination rates are low, or vaccines are unavailable in many countries. In many countries across Africa and Asia, HPV vaccines are not offered routinely at no cost at a national level.
Higher vaccination rates could prevent hundreds of thousands of cervical cancer cases every year. Researchers Kate T. Simms and colleagues estimate that 80% to 100% vaccination rates for both boys and girls, with catch-up vaccinations for adults, could prevent nearly 50 million cervical cancer cases by 2100.
By investing in vaccination and screening, the world could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year, prevent avoidable suffering, and make cervical cancer a disease of the past.