The majority of the problems related to cervical cancer worldwide can be tackled with either technology we already have or technology we will soon possess, according to a Seminar published in The Lancet. The writers add that another important ingredient is ‘sufficient will’.
According to Professor Mark Schiffman and team “There is an enlarging repertoire of options for cervical cancer prevention for regions with varying needs and values, based on innovative technology and clear understanding of cervical carcinogenesis.” Prof. Schiffman works at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Maryland, USA.
Cervical cancer made up about one tenth of all deaths in women due to cancer globally in 2002 – a total of 500,000 incident cases and 275,000 deaths, say the writers. Over 80% of all cervical cancer cases happen in the developing world – it is the second most common cancer for women.
“Not only is cervical cancer the most prevalent and important cancer in women in several developing countries, but also the societal importance of the disease is accentuated even further by the young average age at death, often when women are still raising families,” explain the authors.
“Promising approaches to cervical cancer prevention have resulted from our new understanding that almost all cases are caused by persistent infection with about 15 genotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV),” they add.
The Seminar looks at the histopathology of cervical cancer and transmission of HPV, its progression to pre-cancer and then cancer. It also looks at the pros-and-cons of screening, as well as diagnostic options. The writers also discuss what prevention strategies there are, including vaccinations.
“Because of the importance of the (cervical cancer) problem and the feasibility of ameliorating it, we hope to see a major decrease in the numbers of women affected with this cancer within our lifetimes,” the writers conclude.
Written by: Christian Nordqvist