Opportunities to advance cervical cancer prevention and care

Abstract

Cervical cancer (CaCx) is a major public health issue, with over 600,000 women diagnosed annually. CaCx kills someone every 90 s, mostly in low- and middle-income countries. There are effective yet imperfect mechanisms to prevent CaCx. Since human papillomavirus (HPV) infections cause most CaCx, they can be prevented by vaccination. Screening methodologies can identify premalignant lesions and allow interventions before a CaCx develops. However, these tools are less feasible in resource-poor environments. Additionally, current screening modalities cannot triage lesions based on their relative risk of progression, which results in overtreatment. CaCx care relies heavily on genotoxic agents that cause severe side effects. This review discusses ways that recent technological advancements could be leveraged to improve CaCx care and prevention.