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Cervical cancer elimination: what, how and WHO ?

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Key content High‐risk human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination can reduce cervical cancer risk significantly. Organised cervical screening programmes have reduced cervical cancer deaths by up to 70%. Globally, vaccination uptake and cervical screening coverage are suboptimal and require urgent attention. The World Health Organization (WHO) aspires to eliminate cervical cancer this century. Targets for 2030 include 90% of girls vaccinated; 70% cervical screening coverage and 90% receiving appropriate treatment. Emerging strategies to improve vaccination and screening coverage include a gender neutral, 9‐valent, single dose vaccination schedule and novel self‐sampling screening methods. Self‐sampling methods for cervical screening could reduce health inequities and help accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer. Learning objectives To understand the evidence base underpinning the WHO's cervical cancer elimination strategy. To highlight novel approaches to the prevention, detection and treatment of cervical disease. Ethical issues Is gender neutral HPV vaccination in high‐income countries (HICs) ethical with so many girls unvaccinated in low‐resource settings? If cervical screening is more effective with speculum‐based sampling, is it ethical to offer self‐sampling methods? Is it ethical to offer only non‐attenders of current cervical screening self‐sampling alternatives? Is it ethical to offer screening in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) without resources to adequately manage detected disease?

Source: The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist

DOI: 10.1111/tog.12984

Authors: Jennifer C. Davies, Jiexin Cao, Holly Baker‐Rand, Jo Morrison, Emma J. Crosbie