The United Nations says cervical cancer can be preventable and is curable when detected early through screening, vaccination and proper treatment.
In a statement issued on Friday, UN noted that cervical cancer, ranked as the fourth most common cancer in women, adding that January every year is set aside for Cancer Awareness campaign.
Cervical cancer is a reproductive health disease that develops in the cervix and can spread to other parts of the body if it is not detected and treated early.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), about 660,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer globally in 2022, while roughly 350,000 lost their lives to the disease.
UNICEF, the UN children’s agency, warns that the illness takes away a woman’s life every two minutes.
Medical experts say nearly all cases of cervical cancer are linked to infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common virus transmitted through sexual contact.
While most sexually active people will contract HPV at some point, the body’s immune system often clears the virus naturally. However, persistent infection with certain high-risk HPV strains can trigger abnormal cell changes that may develop into cancer over time.
WHO reiterated that cervical cancer can be prevented and cured through effective screening, HPV vaccination and timely treatment.
The global health body recommends HPV vaccination for girls aged 9 to 14 before they become sexually active, as well as cervical screening from age 30 or from 25 for women living with HIV.
When diagnosed, it is one of the most successfully treatable forms of cancer, if it is detected early and managed effectively.
Unequal access to prevention and treatment, however, remains a problem, leading to higher rates of incidence and mortality in some regions of the world like sub-Saharan Africa, Central America and Southeast Asia.
In 2020, 194 countries launched a global strategy aimed at eliminating cervical cancer. November 17, the date the initiative was unveiled, is now observed as World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day.
Under the WHO-led strategy, countries are expected to meet three key targets by 2030:
It said, “90 per cent of girls to be fully vaccinated for HPV by age 15.
“70 per cent of women to be screened with a high-performance test by age 35 and again at 45.
“70 per cent of women diagnosed to receive treatment.”
The WHO estimates that achieving these goals could prevent 74 million new cases and save 62 million lives globally by the year 2120.
