A blueprint for elimination of cervical cancer

The Lancet
Jan 06, 2024

A blueprint for elimination of cervical cancer


On Nov 17, countries around the world marked the third Cervical Cancer Elimination Day of Action with renewed commitments, mass screening, and awareness campaigns. The first Day of Action in 2020 saw 194 countries commit to the elimination of cervical cancer within the next century and the launch by WHO of its Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem. Cervical cancer is the first noncommunicable disease to be targeted for elimination, which is possible because most cases are caused by oncogenic subtypes of the human papillomavirus (HPV), for which highly effective screening strategies and vaccines are available. Around 80% of people are infected with HPV in their lifetime, with a small risk that those infected with high-risk subtypes will go on to develop cancer. However, although the risk is small, the burden of morbidity and mortality is large, especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).

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