News release

From: The Lancet

High-income countries could eliminate cervical cancer by 2048, but without expanded efforts, many women in other regions will still face high risks

Disparities in cervical cancer rates worldwide will continue to grow, predominantly affecting women in low-and middle-income countries, according to a new modelling study published in The Lancet. Using current national cervical cancer vaccination and screening efforts, researchers estimated that high-income countries are on track to eliminate cervical cancer by 2048, while low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) will see only slight reductions over the next century. As a result, the gap between regions will widen dramatically, with women in LMICs facing much higher rates of this preventable disease.

The study highlights that reaching the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goals—vaccinating 90% of girls, screening 70% of women, and treating 90% of pre-cancer and cancer cases—is crucial to eliminating cervical cancer globally and saving millions of lives. Achieving these goals could avert 37 million cervical cancer cases over the next century and accelerate progress toward elimination. However, the models suggest that many LMICs are unlikely to reach these targets without increased investments in elimination efforts.

The authors say that recent advancements, such as lower-cost and single-dose vaccines, expanded screening programmes. Multi-age cohort vaccinations and efforts to include boys in vaccination campaigns can help make cervical cancer elimination feasible worldwide but require global, coordinated efforts from governments and international health agencies.