Vaccine could virtually eliminate cervical cancer

The rapid extension of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine could virtually eliminate cervical cancer in a handful of rich countries within three decades, and in most others countries by the end of the century, announced researchers today.

Without screening and vaccination against HPV, more than 44 million women will probably be diagnosed with the disease over the next 50 years, they reported in The Lancet Oncology, a medical journal.

Two-thirds of these cases – and about 15 million deaths – would occur in low- and middle-income countries.

On the other hand, the rapid deployment of screening and vaccination from 2020 could prevent more than 13 million cervical cancers by the middle of the century and reduce the number of cases to less than four per 100,000 women. revealed the study.

"This is a potential threshold for considering cervical cancer as a major public health problem," the authors said in a statement.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 570,000 new cases worldwide in 2018, making it the fourth most important cancer in women after bad, colon and lung.

The disease kills more than 300,000 women each year, mostly in low-income countries.

"Despite the enormity of the problem, our findings suggest that global elimination is at hand," said lead author Karen Canfell, a professor at the New South Wales Cancer Council in Sydney.

To achieve this goal, however, "will depend on both the high coverage of HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening," she added.

Sexually transmitted, HPV is extremely common and includes more than 100 types of viruses, at least 14 of which cause cancer.

Viruses have also been linked to cancers of the anus, vulva, bad and penis.

Cervical cancer takes 15 to 20 years to develop in women with normal immune systems. If the immune system is weak or compromised – for example by HIV infection – the cancer can grow much faster.

Clinical trials have shown that HPV vaccines are safe and effective against both HPV strains – types 16 and 18 – responsible for 70% of cervical cancer cases.

The projections in the study badume that 80% of girls aged 12 to 15 will be vaccinated from 2020 and that at least 70% of women will be screened twice in their lifetime.

This would raise the prevalence of the disease below 4/100 000 women in countries such as the United States, Canada, Britain and France by 2059 and in income countries. intermediate such as Brazil and China by 2069, calculate the authors.